


Incapable of Fear

by briennejamie



Category: Young Justice (Cartoon)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-07-18
Updated: 2015-07-18
Packaged: 2018-04-10 00:37:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 18
Words: 32,066
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4370447
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/briennejamie/pseuds/briennejamie
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>During a usual training session at the mountain, Robin realizes that his entire team hold back on him during training. He leaves the mountain only to run into a freshly broken out of prison villain in Gotham. Now Robin is in life threatening danger, will Batman, the team and league be able to save him in time?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> this story was originally posted on fanfiction.net at: https://www.fanfiction.net/s/9337294/1/Incapable-of-Fear

Training was going as smoothly as ever. Each member of the team were going up against one another. No room for hesitation in training. Even though they were all friends, they would not hold back on each other. As to improve themselves. At least, they aren't supposed to hold back on each other. As to prepare for real life missions.

But, there were exceptions in the team member's minds. Kaldur would only keep slightly back if he felt necessary. Superboy didn't know the meaning of the word. Artemis wouldn't hold back, and she would put more effort in to annoy/one up Kid Flash. M'gann would hold back on Superboy, as not to make him mad. But with everyone else it was fair game...mostly...

Robin always keeps back on his real fighting to tease them. Like how he'll use his acrobatic moves to avoid and evade them, as to make them feel aggravated. Kinda cruel, he'll admit, but it's always fun, and they all know that it's a joke. But in really serious situations, he'll never kid around. He's not that immature. If however he felt as though he were going to lose during training sessions, he will not strain. But Robin could tell that everyone on the team, even Kid Flash, held back on him. As if they thought he couldn't handle it, or they thought he wasn't old enough to take full force. If only they could see Gotham...

"Alright. Robin and Kaldur'ahm. You're up next," Black Canary stated once Artemis and Kid Flash had finished. Kaldur and Robin looked at each other, then nodded, giving each other an encouraging smile. They went to the center, and got into their individual fighting stances.

"Robin, do you want me to hold back?" Kaldur asked politely. Robin just smirked at him and replied,

"No thank you. I would really appreciate it if you gave it all you got," Robin said smirking, very pleased with himself. Kaldur smiled at the boy wonder, and kept his stance. He really didn't know why he had asked in the first place. I guess that he just feels like he doesn't want to hurt him at all, or anything along those lines...

"Whenever you're ready," Black Canary said. The two then began to go around each other, waiting for one of them to commit the first strike. Kaldur took that first strike.

He flung himself forward, keeping his water barriers steady, and ready. Robin easily avoided this predictable attack. He then flipped directly over the atlantean, landing behind him, where the boy wonder then delivered a forceful kick to Kaldur's back. It made him stumble, but not fall. In this short time of hesitation however, Robin was able to flip back over into a handstand on Kaldur's shoulders. He gripped his shoulders tightly, and had his feet come forward, kicking Kaldur out from underneath him. Kaldur was on the ground, the little message that said "FAIL" over his head. Black Canary nodded in approval at Robin's technique. Robin however, did not seem pleased with what had just occurred. Kaldur got up from the floor, and saw Robin's frustration.

"What is it Robin? You won. Why are you not pleased?" Robin shot him a small glare, then replied.

"You held back," Robin simply stated. Kaldur realized why now the boy was upset. "You said you weren't going to hold back, but you did anyway." Kaldur realized his mistake in the matter. He saw then that he should not have let Robin's age blur the definition of training for the both of them.

"Robin, I apologize, I-" Kaldur tried to make amends, only to be interrupted by Robin.

"Why? Do you think I'm incapable? You've seen me on missions! You see how well I perform out there! And they  _most certainly don't_  hold back!" Kaldur tried to get in some sort of explanation, but Robin would be having none of it.

"What makes you think I can't handle _you_ , when I can handle  _them_?" Robin asked. He was very frustrated by this whole matter. He couldn't figure out why they all felt the need to treat him like a child, like he didn't know anything. This confrontation had been building for a while, and Robin couldn't handle it anymore.

"How am I supposed to get any better in training, if the people who are supposed to be helping me learn, hold back?!" He stated a valid point. They all knew this. Why they had never brought that factor into mind, they couldn't figure out. "I mean, seriously! _Batman_  doesn't hold back on me! And he's  _BATMAN_!" Robin was practically shouting now. They all understood why.

"I'm sorry Robin. I never took those factors into consideration. I only didn't want to hurt you because you're so much..." Kaldur didn't get to finish his sentence.

" _YOUNGER?_! YEAH, I'M  _YOUNGER_ , BUT THAT DOESN'T MEAN A  _THING_  CONSIDERING THE FACT THAT I'VE BEEN DOING THIS LONGER THAN  _ALL_  OF YOU! WHAT GIVES YOU THE  _RIGHT_  TO HOLD BACK ON  _ME!_  IN FACT, I SHOULD LET YOU KNOW THAT _I'VE_  BEEN THE ONE HOLDING BACK. AND YOU  _REALLY_ WOULDN'T WANT TO SEE ME WHEN I'M _ACTUALLY_  FIGHTING!" That struck a cord in everybody. Robin flipped into the shadows disappearing from the room. The team just looked at each other, shell shocked. While Black Canary just looked stunned. She had never seen Robin like that in all the years she's known the boy.

"Wow," was all Artemis could get out about this entire crazy situation.

"Who knew he felt that way?" M'gann added.

"I didn't," Superboy added plainly.

"Nor did I," Kaldur replied.

"Yeah... I've only seen Robin get angry like that before once..." Everyone just looked at Wally.

"What happened?" M'gann asked.

"Well... He and Batman kinda got in a fight..." Wally let out, he would've continued too, but Artemis butted in.

"Wait. How would that even work? Like, how could you even muster up the courage to even disagree with Batman?" Artemis was right. Just thinking of having that man angry at you was frightening. Even Black Canary shuddered slightly.

"I don't know... But I think Robin actually won that fight." Wally said. That was just too hard to believe. How does one win a fight with Batman? Wally upon seeing the team's confused expressions, gave them a small shrug.

"Well... I'm going to find Robin and see if I can't talk him into talking to you. Although, Robin does have a point. He has been in this business longer than all of you, and he is trained by Batman. I really don't think you should hold back. I mean, really, how do you expect him to learn? You have to let him fail and make mistakes in here. Otherwise, he'll make those mistakes in the field, where there is no room for them." Black Canary left them with that thought to ponder over. They could see now that their decisions had been very idiotic. And this was most certainly about to become _very_  apparent...


	2. Chapter 2

Black Canary walked down the halls of Mount Justice, looking for an angry Robin.

Earlier the bird had made quite an exit from the training room, leaving both the team and Black Canary slightly shocked. Now she had told the team that she would go and look for Robin to see if she could get him to go and talk to the team, so they could apologize. Even though the likelihood of the bat taking her advice while he was still mad was very low. But she decided she might as well try, despite her doubts.

She finally came into view of the bird. He was on one of the beams that supported the inner structure of the mountain. The only reason she could see him through the shadows though was because with both Batman and Robin, she had gotten used to it. Although, if she had not been looking for Robin she would have never have seen him in the darkness.

"Robin, come down, we need to talk," Black Canary called looking into the shadows. She heard no movement, so she couldn't tell if he was moving or not. But she did see a slight shift in the shadows. _'Promising'_ , she thought to herself.

Then Robin landed silently in front of Black Canary, startling her.

"Thank you. Now, we need to talk. Would you please join me on the couch?" Robin nodded silently, obviously trying to calm himself down, containing his anger. They sat on the couch in the living room, and Black Canary started her therapist talk.

"Okay. So, I know that the team shouldn't have held back on you. But they just don't understand you or Gotham well enough, and that's because you aren't exactly open about yourself, and I know you know that. But, I think you need to talk to the team, to get a better explanation from them. Because they did what they did to make them feel more secure about having you on the team. Once you talk to them you'll understand what they did from their point of view, and they'll understand why their actions angered you." Black Canary got up, as to lead Robin out of the room, to talk to the team. But he didn't move.

"So, you're saying that they have second thoughts about having me on the team?" Robin said catching Black Canary very off guard.

"N-no. I just mean-" before Black Canary could finish however, Robin cut her off.

"I get it," Robin said getting up. "I guess everybody just thinks I'm incapable because of my age." Robin walked out of the room, and got to the R-cycle before Black Canary could stop him. He sped out of the garage, not before telling Red Tornado to open the doors of course.

Black Canary headed back to tell the team what happened. Once there she could see how they were all looking to her to see if she had been successful, they could tell she hadn't.

"I obviously didn't word that correctly. Now you all have to talk to him. He needs to hear this from you." Black Canary walked out of the room, heading to call Batman to get Robin back here. Or at least to some where safe. The team looked at each other, realizing for sure this time that Robin really felt like they didn't think he was capable enough of fighting them. Even though they did. They just let his age cloud their choices, because they wouldn't know what to do if he wasn't there.

* * *

Robin was speeding down the streets of Gotham. He was just trying to get back to the manor, so he could be with Bruce, and so he could have some of Alfred's cooking to calm himself down. Then his communicator started to beep.

"'Robin? You should come back to-" before Batman could finish telling Robin to come back to the manor, Robin cut him off.

"I know. I'm heading there right now." Batman said 'okay', glad to hear that he and Robin were really that insinc with each other. The communication was terminated, leaving Robin to his thoughts as he headed down the dreary road.

Gotham was always like this. Rainy, and cool. Not cold, just a chilling cool. The kind that has small gusts of wind that leave goosebumps on your arms. But Robin couldn't shake this slight feeling that his goosebumps tonight were more than that. More than the cool, like he sensed something.

He was right. It was definitely more. He knew this because now he was stopping in front of a figure standing in the middle of the foggy road. It looked like a man, but Robin could only see the silhouette. Then it spoke.

"Hello boy wonder... I'm so glad I ran into you... and without the bat...  _wonderful_..." That voice. It was so familiar...

_Scarecrow_

What was that wacko doing out of Arkham Asylum? Batman and him had put Scarecrow there a few months ago, they found out he was trying to fill Arkham Prison with the gas, to make it seem as though they had all gone insane. More business for him, means more money. Stupid rogue psychiatrist.

"What do you want Scarecrow?" Robin asked annoyed. He had had enough of this crap for one night.

"Why so snippy? Maybe bat trouble? No... that's not it... Ah... You got in a fight with that little team of yours, didn't you?" Robin was slightly shocked at the fact that this man could figure it out that fast. Then again, he did used to be a  _psychiatrist_. I guess that implies knowing how to read someone, like how Batman had taught him.

"Does that matter? Now, what are you doing out of Arkham?" Robin changed the subject. Scarecrow laughed at this. He obviously was used to people changing the subject like that on him.

"Well... that particular point in my life was growing tiresome, so I thought wouldn't it be fun if i messed with the bats." This made Robin even more angry than he already was. But as he was about to move in on Scarecrow, a thick green gas exploded out from a manhole underneath the r-cycle. He jumped off the bike, watching as it went in the other direction. But before he could think, he breathed in the gas.

It must be a new strand of toxin of some sort... because he was blacking out. Blacking out into his worst nightmare.  _Great_.

* * *

"Where is he Alfred?" Bruce was growing worried for his ward. He had contacted him about a half an hour ago, and yet Richard still hadn't arrived home yet.

"I'm sure Master Richard is fine. He most likely took the long way home, he is probably trying to clear his thoughts," Alfred said. These words calmed Bruce slightly. But he was still concerned. He just couldn't help it. When you're The Batman you have to be paranoid. Especially when not only do you have targets on your back, but so does your son.

"Alright. But I'm still going to check where he is using the tracker on the r-cycle." Bruce calmly walked out of the room, heading to the batcave. He had to open the door to the elevator, to the batcave. This passage happened to be a bookcase next to the piano. Bruce clinked a few meaningless notes on the piano, opening the door. Bruce then stepped into the elevator, and went into the batcave. Once there, he headed toward the computer. A giant one at that. He searched for the signal the tracker was supposed to be giving off, but there was no signal. This worried Bruce deeply. It seemed that the tracker had been shut off. _'Did Robin turn off the tracker so he could be left alone? No, he doesn't even know about the tracker... So...'_  Batman realized, the tracker must have been broken somehow, and if the tracker broke, that meant the bike must have broken.  _Oh crap_. Batman immediately suited up and headed to where the beacon had stopped transmitting.

He of course left a message on the screen in the batcave, incase Alfred came looking. Then he was in the batmobile, heading straight to the heart of Gotham. That was where Robin had stopped transmitting. This only unnerved the bat more. Because the center of Gotham was where the worst of the worst roamed. It was also where freshly broken out Arkhams would go.

His feeling only got worse as he approached the spot. Only to see a wreckage, and the slight haze of some sort of toxic in the air. _Shit..._

Finally He touched down silently on a roof. He swerved his way down to the wreckage. Robin was nowhere in sight however. He quickly put on a gas mask as he began to feel dizzy. He then took an air sample, so he could test the agent later. He called the mountain, because maybe Robin had found his way back there. Maybe he beat whoever was threatening him. A bat could dream, right?

"Yes Batman?" Kaldur showed up on the screen in front of him, he had almost forgotten what he was doing.

"Yes Kaldur'ahm. I was wondering if Robin was with you at the mountain?" Batman responded, trying to hide his fear for Robin.

"No, I am sorry. He left quite a bit ago. Has he not made contact with you?" Kaldur asked, blind to the situation.

"He did. 45 minutes ago. I haven't heard from him since. And when I used to tracker on the R-cycle to see where he was, there was no signal. I'm now at the wreckage..." Before Batman could continue, Wally sped into view, along with the rest of the team, now all sowing their fears.

"Is Robin alright?" Wally asked.

"I haven't found Robin. That's why I was hoping he was with you. All I have found so far is the wrecked R-cycle, and a strange toxin in the air at the wreckage site..." Now they all looked concerned.

"Should we contact the league?" M'gann asked, clearly concerned for her friend.

"I would say no... but... I'd rather find Robin as fast as possible. So... yes. Please do." This shocked the team. Usually the bat would have insisted he find his protege himself. But now he was asking for... help? They now understood that whatever was in the air, truly unnerved the man. So they went into action. Hopefully not too late.


	3. Chapter 3

He awoke in a fog. Feeling cold sweat running down his face, coating his skin in a thin greasy layer. As a gut wrenching shiver rushed through his entire body, making him slightly flinch. He felt the rush of consciousness fill him, shooting up from his previous position.

Robin looked around the room, now fully conscious. He was sitting in an abandoned warehouse, and surprisingly he was not bound at all. Because of this Robin was able to get off of the ground. Now fully standing, he began to walk around the perimeter of the room. The main room was about as big as you would expect. But the windows were sealed shut tight, that of course was bad news for Robin. There was a pair of double doors, but they were also completely sealed shut. Not even air could escape. Although there were a few vents near the ceiling. This would be Robin's only means of escape. Then he realized, this is Scarecrow... Those vents... Oh crap.

Realization hit. Those vents must be for the fear gas. He must be planning on releasing gas in here. That is just great.

"So little Robin... How about we start the tests?" Scarecrow's voice rang through the building.

"Tests?" was all Robin could get out, because that was all he could think about.

"Well... I really need to find out how these new formulas affect humans. So I've decided it would not only be beneficial to me. But it always is great when I get the opportunity to mess with the bats." This made Robin not only angry, but scared to have to be the test subject for these most likely horrid new formulas of fear gas. Because if the original wasn't bad enough, then these new formulas must be a thousand times worse. While Robin was wasting time thinking however, Scarecrow began to let this new gas flood the room. Unlike before, this gas that was seeping through the vents was purple. Different from the usual green.

Robin felt the strong burning in his lungs. As he breathed in the toxins. Usually he could breathe and slip into unconsciousness with ease, knowing what was to come. But now he had no idea what to expect. So the fear of the unknown was suffocating him, literally. He was fighting the pain, and the darkness. Now he dropped to his knees, still fighting it. Holding his throat, trying to somehow force the toxin out of his system. Of course that wasn't going to ever work. No matter how hard he tried. Slipping into the dark, he could feel the horrid sensation filling him. He was now being completely submerged in the fear. Now all he could hope was that Batman would find him in time. In time, before one of these formulas killed him...

* * *

Robin was now in a haze. Yet everything around him was clear. He was sitting in a complete emptiness of darkness. He got up, only to be thrusted back down.

"No standing little bird." The voice that rung above him was clear. The Joker...

"Let's see how much it takes to make a bat crack..." Now Robin could feel adrenaline shoot through his entire body as he looked up at the madman with the familiar crowbar. But he now could also see Batman lingering behind the Joker.

"Batman! Help!" Robin shouted as the madman before him drew nearer.

"I can't. You're too weak," Batman said back. Now Robin was really confused. "You're a useless

excuse for a sidekick, and you are not any where near good enough to be my son." These words wracked Robin's mind. Did Batman really think that about him? Was he really useless? Was he really a sorry excuse for a son? Or even a sidekick? Could it be true?

"Ya. Listen to daddy bats... He's always right!" The Joker cackled. Then his team appeared behind Batman.

"Guys help!" Robin shouted, still sort of in shock by Batman's comments and insults.

"We can't Robin. You're too young and immature. You not capable of being on this team. We always have to hold back on you because you're incapable," Wally said slyly to Robin. He looked let down. The same with the rest of the team. Looking down on Robin. They were so judgmental looking. Robin couldn't believe this. They just had this conversation about how he wasn't useless. Now they were telling him that they thought that he was useless.

"B-but..." Robin barely got out before the Joker let his crowbar wail down upon the boy. Making him sharply scream. Now everyone around him, all the people he loved and admired in different ways, people that were supposed to care about him, looked disappointed at the fact that he needed help. The fact that he couldn't handle the Joker himself. And-and... they were right... He was weak... He didn't deserve their help... But he couldn't deserve this? Could he? His question was answered, when two others entered the room.

"Mom? Dad?" Robin whimpered out at the sight of his long dead parents. They stood before him, they looked sad...

"Yes Dick," his tati said. "It's us. We needed you to know something." Dick could see the depression in their eyes.

"Wh-what?" Dick asked, still trying to hold back all the emotions and memories.

"We need you to know that it's your fault we died..." This made Dick's heart stop. His breath caught in his closing throat.

"If you hadn't been so stupid as not to tell us about what you heard the night we died, we wouldn't be dead, and you wouldn't be such a disappointment..." Robin could feel his chest tighten with sobbs. Did they really think that? Could they really think that?

"I-I thought you l-lo-loved me..." Robin sobbed out, looking up at his parents disappointed faces. Tears now streaming freely down his cheeks.

"How could we love someone so incapable?" his mami spat back at him. Disgust in her blazing blue eyes. They weren't her eyes. They couldn't be her eyes. She would never say that. "It's true," they all said at once. And Robin believed it.

"Bu-but I-I..." Robin choked out. He was sobbing now.

"Goody! Now, let's teach this bird a lesson," Joker laughed out. Now all the people he thought loved him surrounded him, taunting and insulting him. While the Joker was bashing away at him physically, the others, mentally.

"Pl-please! St-stop!" Robin forced out. Looking up at his life, crumbling.

"You're too weak Robin. How could we ever love you?" Batman thrusted out. He looked genuine with his emotions. 'It's all true. They hate me. I'm just taking up space in this world. Why don't I just end?'

"Because you can't find the nerve to end it..."

* * *

"What exactly happened?" Superman asked curiously, still trying to see if they could find any other leads to Robin's disappearance, besides the busted bike and "funny smelling air" Batman had sampled. Now however Batman was testing the sample. He was hoping that the gas he'd smelt wasn't what he thought it was.

"Well, we may have gotten Robin mad... So he left the mountain on the r-cycle to go home," Wally said nervously. Because now not only Superman was listening, but the entire justice league (minus Atom, and Icon. They were out on patrol.). Even Batman had slightly looked up from the computer to listen.

"We just sort of assumed Robin made it back okay. Until Batman called..." Wally now waited for a response from them.

"Why was Robin mad at you?" Flash asked. Now the team, and Black Canary all looked at each other. Then Black Canary stepped forward.

"He was upset because he figured out that the team was holding back on him in training, making him feel... Incapable." Now Batman was fully looking up from the screen, which had yet to show results to the tests.

"Why did you hold back on him?" Batman asked with a stare. He was very concerned for his son, and he couldn't think of a reason why they would think less of Robin. Besides the fact that he's younger, and that's not a huge reason to hold back. Even he doesn't hold back on the thirteen year old. Especially when their lives are at stake while out in the field, so they need as much safe training and preparation as possible.

"We thought that we may... uh... damage his confidence." Batman was shocked at this explanation. They knew how important training was. So why would they hold back? The people they fight aren't going to hold back. So why should they?

"You realize that by doing that you're only making things harder for Robin. Because if you don't allow him to excel with you, in here, he will only be able to reach your limits, which you are not letting him spar," J'onn said. This was his usual enlightening speech, but now it was a lot more personal, and important.

"I'm not too sure I understood all of that... but... you got your point across well enough," Artemis said looking at the martian. As they all pondered this, Batman looked back up at the screen. The test results had come.

"What does it say?" Wonder Woman asked. She was hoping that she would be wrong with her assumption, but she had a feeling that she was about to be disappointed.

"It came back as knock out gas... with traces of... fear gas," Batman said sparking everyones attention. They knew it would be knock out gas. But they didn't expect it to be processed by Scarecrow. He had to be the one that took Robin. Or at least he was involved with the person who did.

"So, Scarecrow," Artemis stated, worry plainly in her voice.

" Who's 'Scarecrow'?" Superboy asked, clearly confused by the nature of this enemy. "I thought a scarecrow was just a device used to scare off crows from a field?" Superboy said. He obviously learned that from Cadmus.

"Scare row is just a name that this crazy villain in Gotham took. Cause he uses this drug he makes called 'fear gas' to make people experience their worst fears," Artemis told Superboy. She was also directing it toward M'gann, because she was confused as well.

"Oh..." M'gann and Superboy mumbled.

"Is there anyway we can use this information to find Robin?" Kaldur asked. Now everyone was looking at Batman, hoping that he would give them good news on the matter.

"Well now I know who we're looking for... We might be able to trace Scarecrow back to a warehouse or chemicals he uses to make the fear gas. But other than that, I'm not really sure." Batman looked really worried. He almost seemed like he was about to show.. emotion.

"That's something at least. We should start our search. Everyone who can fly, will air search over Gotham. While everyone else available will do a ground search," Superman stated. Everyone nodded in agreement, then M'gann spoke up.

"Okay... But who will tell Robin's family that he's been kidnapped?" Everyone looked at her, then Batman. Wally looked like he was about to fall over, while the rest of the league, and team, just looked at Batman for an answer.

"Batman, you should probably inform Robin's family of what has occurred," Kaldur said. The rest of the league (minus Wally, who knew of Robin's secret identity) seemed like they agreed with Kaldur.

"Ya should probably tell the kids parents," Green Arrow said, hands on his hips.

Because even the league didn't know of Robin's back story. The didn't know about his parents. They didn't even know that he lived with Batman, or that Batman adopted him.

"I'll do that," Batman said, he was completely hiding how uncomfortable he was with the question about Robin's family.

"Good, now we should start the search." Now the league, and the team dispersed. Except Wally and Batman.

"Are we gonna-" Wally began before being cut off by Batman.

"No. I still don't trust anyone, no matter how good, or how long I've know them. Or how much Robin trusts them. The only reason you found out is because of a complete accident. And the fact that Robin, when he was eight, was too trustworthy. But now he understands," Batman said coldly, his mind lingering to his son.

"Okay," Wally said. Then they parted ways. Batman now wondering if he should tell the league about Robin's identity. If maybe being so secretive was what got him into this mess in the first place...


	4. Chapter 4

Batman was sitting in the batcave looking for any sign of Scarecrow that could lead him to Robin. So far he had found nothing besides the crime scene where they had found Robin's bike. Batman hadn't had any sleep or anything to eat since Robin was taken. It had only been about two days since he had gone, but Batman was already obsessed with finding his son. Alfred had been trying to get him to sleep or eat, but he wouldn't have it. He had to find him. Batman had told the rest of the league and the team that he had informed Robin's parents of what had occurred and that they were worried, and were hoping that they would find him soon. Even if that was a lie, but parts were true. Bruce was hoping with all his heart that they would find Robin soon, and he was definitely worried. But right now all he could do was try his hardest to find him, and hope that the league aren't wasting their time with useless efforts. Now Alfred walked into the batcave.

"Master Bruce, I believe that you should have something to eat and rest. Because you are no use to Master Richard if you are not at your full capacity," Alfred said sternly as he walked in with a tray of food and a cup of tea with two sleeping pills sitting next to it.

"I have to find him. There is no time for sleep," Batman said still looking at the screen.

"Then at least eat Master Bruce. You can continue work while eating. I believe it is called "multitasking"." Batman now looked over at Alfred, and he slightly nodded his head. Alfred then walked over to him and set the tray down, leaving the tea and sleeping pills as well.

"Thank you, Alfred." Alfred nodded and smiled as Batman went back to work. He could only hope now that all of Batman's efforts wouldn't be of waste and that he wouldn't end up destroying himself over this. Even if it was worth it. Richard was his son after all. Adopted or not.

"Oh, and Master Bruce?" Batman looked back over at Alfred and gave his acknowledgement. "You might want to make sure you keep your stories straight about Master Richard's parents before anyone of the members of the league get suspicious. Or you might want to tell them about Master Richard's actual situation." Batman looked up at Alfred more intently now. He sighed letting Alfred know what he was thinking. Which was that he couldn't tell them no matter how much he trusted them. Because if something were to happen to one of the leaguers and they spilt the fact of Robin's identity, well... He couldn't have his only son's life at risk because he trusted their vows of silence. He couldn't be alone again. And now more than ever he needed his son safe.

"Just... consider it." Alfred then made his leave. Leaving Batman to sit on his thoughts. Maybe it would be a good idea to tell them... Maybe it would help with the search... Or maybe it will just make things ten times worst... But maybe all we need is trust, I guess that doesn't matter though. Considering the fact that even though the league don't know who Robin really is, they still help in trying to find him. They trust too fast. That is a quality Batman and Bruce both lack. But Robin has made such an impression on everyone. So that makes them want to find him ten times more. Let's just hope that no effort is useless...

* * *

Robin could feel everything around him, and it all hurt. All the pain was flooding him now. This was the third type of fear gas that Scarecrow had tested on him.

The first type was rather similar to the original. Showing him everyone he ever loved rejecting him and telling him he was a failure to everybody. But he still felt like that first one was real, no matter how much he told himself it wasn't. While the second type made him just plain sad about every single thought, even if he was thinking about sunshine lollipops and rainbows. It would all make him as sad as he felt when his parents had died. But this one, this one just made him feel pain. There were no images that he was receiving, he just kept feeling pain all over his body. Like he was reliving every single cut, scrape, and bruise he'd ever had. He could feel the Joker beating him senseless with a crowbar all over again. He could feel Two-Face pulling out a silver pistol and letting the bullet ricochet through his chest. All of that physical pain coming back all at once. It could make one go insane. He was just surprised he hadn't already. Now as he rolled around on the concrete screaming in pain, he could only pray to every god that there was that Bruce would save him.

Because this was all physical at the moment, he could hear Scarecrow laughing in the background. He just wished that that laughter would be replaced with the sound of an angry Batman coming in through the window. Or even an angry Kid Flash would be good right about now.

"Keep screaming Bird Boy! That just tells me that it's working!" Scarecrow screamed with delight. It made Robin fill with anger. He was enjoying this, the only other person who could enjoy this so much was the Joker. But I guess Robin could only be grateful that he wasn't here.

"If only I had brought my camera! I bet the Bat would love to see this!" Scarecrow was now cackling with pure jubilance. But that comment only made Robin feel a tinge of relief to the fact that Batman wouldn't have to see this. Now Robin could only think about how worried Bruce and Batman must both be. And he was growing concerned to the fact that the league and the team may begin to wonder if Robin's "parents" should be informed. When in all reality, Robin had no parents to worry. Besides Bruce and Alfred of course. And Bruce is probably sitting at the computer, endlessly searching for things that aren't there. While Alfred is just trying to get him to sleep and/or eat. That's all he could be certain about.

But now all Robin could feel was the pain again. Searing pain spread through every part of his body, he could no longer handle it. He let himself blackout.

"Oh, looks like little bird boy couldn't handle me. Well, I just hope he can give me more wonderful results as consequence to my fear toxin. We'll just have to see..." Scarecrow's laugh was the last Robin heard before the darkness took him in as it's own.

* * *

"So how do you think Batman is doing with finding Robin?" Artemis asked the question that was on everyones' minds. Everybody's eyes averted to her. The team had been sitting around the tv in the mountain while waiting for an update on the "Robin situation" from either the league or Batman.

"I don't know. He probably hasn't even left the computer since he started his search..." Wally said in reply. They all made their groans in agreement, then the silence continued as they waited. But then M'gann cut through the awkward silence with a different question.

"How do you think Robin's parents are taking this? I mean, don't you think that they would be pretty broken up about this?" Everyone was now looking at M'gann. They all nodded in agreement, but Wally just didn't look at her.

"Yeah. I know my mom would be freaking out. While I know J'onn would be doing anything he could too for you M'gann," M'gann nodded then Artemis continued. "Kaldur, wouldn't Aquaman freak too?" Aqualad nodded before adding to her statement.

"Yes, I suppose he would be very upset and worried, as well as my Queen and Garth and hopefully Tula." They nodded.

"Yeah, I bet even Superman would be worried for you, Conner." Conner grunted. " And I'm sure Wally's parents, aunt and uncle would have a conniption. What do you think Baywatch? You are his best friend, how do you think they're taking it?" Artemis asked. Now everyone was looking to the speedster for answers. Wally looked up slightly at her question, he didn't really know how to respond to that. Because he knew that Robin didn't have parents anymore, just Bruce and Alfred, it made him feel nothing but sadness for him. Sure, he didn't know the circumstances in which Robin's parents died, but that didn't make it any less depressing.

"I...uh... well..." Wally started, but he couldn't think of a plausible enough answer that wouldn't be questioned by the all-too-nosy Artemis.

"Spit it out, Baywatch!" Artemis spat out. Wally sent a glare in her direction, which was only returned with another. Wally then took a deep breath to think.

"Uh... Yeah. Yeah they're worried. But with this line of work, who knows, right?" Wally let out, hoping that that would satisfy Artemis. But, it didn't.

"There's something that you're not telling us, what is it?" Artemis asked with her annoying tone, or that's what Wally refers to it as.

"Nothing. It's just... Well, you know about Rob's secret ID, so I can't exactly know everything, right?" Now that was a way better explanation. So they took Wally's word for it, even though they could tell he was still holding something back. Artemis just wouldn't let up though.

"You know Robin's secret ID, right?" Wally now looked like he was about ready to explode.

"Uh... I... y-yes..." They all looked right back at him, making him shrink down. Artemis, although, looked satisfied with her work.

"Alright, so, what's the problem with his parents?" Now Wally felt all the pressure of Batman's words weighing down on him all at once.

"I-I can't." Wally then got up and left the room, leaving a now guilty for prying Artemis.

"Batman most likely told him not to say anything that could reveal something or anything about Robin," Kaldur stated, Artemis was now blushing slightly at how blunt she had been.

"R-right." They sat in the awkwardness, which felt like it couldn't be broken. Then, Red Tornado broke it with his sudden presence.

"Team, Superman needs you to take part of a briefing about how the search for Robin will continue." They all nodded, and followed Red Tornado out of the room. He didn't even seem to notice the fact that Wally wasn't with the rest of them.

They entered the briefing area only to be met by almost the entire league.


	5. Chapter 5

The team found themselves staring at the entire league in one room.

They couldn't help but wonder what was going on with the search for Robin, whether new information had arisen or if Batman had something in mind for the search. That was when he stepped forward in front of the team.

"It has been made apparent and known that I should not have you waiting here without any news or being able to help. So, with convincing from the rest of the league and Agent A, I have decided that you will be put on mission to help with the search in Gotham along with the rest of the league who are available." The team nodded eagerly and waited for what they should do.

"We are doing the same kind of search as before, but we are giving you all a sector for yourselves while we will divide the rest of Gotham between the members of the league who can search at the time, because we still have a world to protect," Superman said. They showed that they all understood and waited for someone to say what sector they would have. That was when J'onn led them to one of the holographic screens that would show them where they would be going.

Batman sighed and tried to leave the room discreetly as J'onn was briefing the team. But Superman noticed him leaving and followed him out of the room. Batman stopped in front of the batmobile and waited for Superman to say something, the kryptonian took the hint.

"You seem distraught by the fact that the team is now going to help search Gotham." Batman sighed and turned around to face him.

"They don't know what Gotham is like, and if they were to find him? How would they deal with, not only Scarecrow, but whatever Robin is experiencing?" Superman pinched the bridge of his nose with his thumb and forefinger.

"You know that if they found anything they would call immediately. You know that they want to find him as much as you do, and that that can't matter as much as finding Robin does now." Bruce nodded, he knew this of course, he knew that the team would be able to handle it. But he couldn't help feeling that by the end of this entire endeavor a huge secret of both his and Robin's would be revealed. He couldn't shake it, which is why he was worried about letting the team into Gotham.

"Oh, and if you're worried about your secrets, Kid Flash will be able to help protect him from the rest of the team," Superman stated trying to calm Batman.

"Or he could be the one to let everything slip," Batman growled back. He never really trusted Wally, but Dick did, and that was the only reason he had let him live after Dick had told Wally about his situation. Even though he didn't know all of the details, mostly the more gruesome details, he still knew their names and the fact that Dick's parents were dead and that he and Alfred were raising him.

"Have faith." Superman left Batman to himself with those words to ponder.

* * *

Robin had been lying in complete silence for about an hour now. He woke up awhile ago, but he couldn't move because of all the stress his body was put through earlier. It seemed as though Scarecrow had left him alone for a bit in order for him to pull back some of his strength and so he could most likely prepare the next batch of toxin.

He thought of everyone back in Gotham. Everyone that mattered, everyone that was cruel, everyone that he helped protect. He thought about Bruce, about the fact that he took him in when no one else cared. He thought of Alfred helping him adjust and iron out the kinks in his and Bruce's relationship. He thought of Babs and how she was basically his only friend at school besides Betty Kane and Artemis occasionally. He thought about all the villains that he had beat with Bruce, and how they never seemed to just go away. He thought about all the people that he should be out protecting instead of being here in a empty room that smelled of poison, thick clouded dust, metal, bad breath, blood, and concrete. He thought about Haley's Circus. About his biological Family.

He should be with Bruce protecting everyone he cared about, all while avenging those he can no longer protect.

He thought about the team. He thought about the League. All the others who knew him only as Robin, but he cared for all the same. He thought about how Wally was the only one among them that knew his other name, his birth given name. That gave him comfort.

His numbing comfort was interrupted abruptly by the echoing of something hitting the floor near him. It sounded like heavyish, crunchy, plastic. He opened his heavy eyelids to see a full water bottle rolling towards him. He mustered up all of his strength and sat up, he grabbed it.

He looked at it closely, he knew that even though he could see nothing, there most likely was some sort of toxin that had to be ingested to work or test, not breathed in. Did Scarecrow really think of him as that stupid? Or did he just trust the human nature in the fact that he needed water and soon, otherwise he would die. But Robin was having none of this. If Scarecrow didn't want him to die of thirst, he'd have to give him clean water, and if he wants him to take some fear toxin, he can go shove it up his.

Robin then looked the bottle over once more before setting it down on it's side and rolling it away from himself. He then lied back down on his side and let his lids close. He could already feel that Scarecrow was growing frustrated, he could almost see him pinching the bridge of his nose through the mask. Robin chuckled under his breath at that thought.

"Drink. I promise there's nothing in it that could do you harm," Scarecrow's voice rang through the warehouse, sound bouncing off the walls creating a more eerie sound than it needed to be.

"Yeah, right," Robin croaked out in a faint reply. You could hear Scarecrow growl slightly over the speakers.

"If you don't drink, you'll die." Robin shifted slightly at that reality. But he knew what he was doing.

"Yeah, but if I do drink it then you'll get what you want," Robin stated, now growing more confident. But now Scarecrow didn't respond. Instead, Robin began hearing the sound of echoing footsteps coming through the warehouse. Robin knew that he was coming down or sending someone down to force the water down his throat. So, Robin flipped over on his side and scrunched his legs and arms up. He then covered his mouth with his hands and clamped his jaw shut. He knew that this wouldn't too much, but he felt better when he fought back.

"You don't have a choice anymore," Scarecrow had seemingly appeared next to him. He had heard no footsteps. Scarecrow then grabbed his face and tried to force water down his throat. But Robin would let his mouth open or his hands move. "Just open up!" He was growing more and more frustrated by the moment.

Finally he let go after about a minute of struggling. Robin let out a slight sigh of relief out through his nose.

"Fine. If that's how you want it." Robin felt a increasing pressure building from behind his eyes now. He suddenly felt a rush of drowsiness and his muscles began to loosen. He tried to fight the increasing fatigue, but it felt like his whole body was being filled with liquid metal, and now it was hardening while making him feel loose all at the same time. Scarecrow bent down once more next to him as his hands slipped from his mouth, and he layed there, mouth agape, unfeeling. Scarecrow then tilted his head back and opened his mouth wider. He poured the cool liquid into his throat, and because natural reflexes were kicking in, Robin swallowed what tasted like water.

"There. Now was that so hard?" Scarecrow asked as though he was asking one of the crazy former patients he had if 'it was so hard taking their meds'. Robin grunted in protest. Scarecrow laughed slightly, then began pouring more of the "water" down Robin's dry, but now moist, throat. Even though Robin knew that soon he would pass out and a new form of toxin would overload his system, he was still slightly grateful for the water. It made him feel a lot fuller and stronger. He could almost feel that water rehydrating every cell in his body. The bottle, however, was now down to the last drop and Scarecrow pulled away, leaving Robin lying limply on the floor, in a haze. Scarecrow got up from his crouch, and walked away while absent mindedly crinkling the empty bottle in his hand. Leaving Robin again.

Robin looked around to see if he could see any form of terrifying shape or figure, thinking that the toxin would start kicking in soon. It didn't.

Several more minutes passed and still there was nothing.

He began to wonder if he had just jumped the gun a bit there and the water was just that, water. He rolled back over to his side, feeling now returning to his body, and croaked out a small question.

"Why?"

"Because, I can't have my patients dying on me, now could I?" Robin growled a bit. "Oh, please. I'm no Joker, I'm not just doing this for the fun of it, even though it is fun don't get me wrong, but I really do need a test subject, and you're it." Robin shifted nervously. "Plus, I just love messing with the Bats."


	6. Chapter 6

As they flew in the bioship towards their sector of Gotham, they could feel how tense things were since Artemis had called Wally out on knowing Robin's identity.

They sat in silence the whole way there, no one asking what they were going to do once they had arrived in Gotham, no one talking at all in general. But when they did reach their destination, Kaldur was now forced to speak because of his position as leader.

"Seeing as how we, as a team, were given a whole sector of Gotham to search, I have decided that it would be best if we split up into groups." They all nodded, "Miss Martian, Superboy, and I will take the east half of this section of Gotham, while Kid Flash and Artemis, will take the west. Understood?" A muffled 'Yes sir' was heard from Kid Flash, while the others just said 'Understood'.

Miss Martian lower the bio-ship onto the top of a low sitting building, and kept it in camouflage mode. The team rose from their seats and headed out. Miss Martian, Superboy, and Aqualad headed to begin the search of their half (which was larger, which was also why Kaldur had made it so the three of them had to search it, also because of the uneven number). This left Kid Flash and Artemis alone to begin their search of the rest of their section.

"We should... get searching, I guess..." Kid Flash mumbled to Artemis, she grunted in response. They then began to walk through the shadows of the streets, heading in and out of buildings, looking for any sign whatsoever of Robin. So far, nothing.

Things continued this way for longer than hoped, until Artemis spoke to Kid Flash after the seemingly forever silence.

"I'm, uh... sorry, about what I said earlier... I guess I'm just so used to our bickering that it never even occurred to me that sometimes things really do have to be set aside..." Artemis heard Kid Flash's sigh from where she was standing.

"Yeah... well... Ya know..." Kid trailed off quietly. Artemis could hear the growing concern and utter depression in his voice. She knew, even before she had called Wally out on knowing Robin's ID, that he and Robin had a much deeper relationship than anyone else. She could feel that he blamed himself, even though in reality, it was the whole team's fault that Robin was takes, they had all held back on his during training. She could also tell that Robin meant a lot more to him than anyone else he knew, this made her think of how she would feel if anything happened to her mom ever. She would feel like it was her fault, no matter how stupid that may be, and that she would never be able to stop worrying until her mother was back up and running again (metaphorically speaking of course).

"Really though. I get it. I really do..." Artemis continued.

"Get what?" Kid- no, Wally -snapped at her. "You think that you get how this feels? You think that you could ever understand how much it hurts to know that one of the most important people to you in the world, is gone, or being tortured, and you may never see them again? Or even worse, when you do, they'll never be the same? You don't 'get it'!" Artemis seemed a bit taken back by this.

"No, you're right. I have never had to be in a situation  _exactly_  like your's before. But I do know what it feels like to lose the one person closest to you, not knowing whether you'll see them again, or even if they'll care if they do see you." Wally looked at her slightly confused, so she continued. "When my sister left me to stay with my dad, she was the only person that mattered, so... seeing her leave... thinking I may never see her again... that she didn't care... it ate at me every single day. And you know what? I still don't know if she cares. But I keep going and hoping that maybe someday she'll come to my doorstep telling me that she does love me, and that she's sorry she ever left. So, yeah, I don't know  _exactly_  how you're feeling right now. But, don't ever say _I don't get it._ " Wally felt like those words had just punched him in the face. He looked at Artemis, and saw the sorrow mixed with determination in her eyes. He sighed.

"I... I'm sorry, too, then... you're right... really. I guess I- I guess I just don't know what to do, or how to deal with all of this. I've... I've just never felt like this before..." Artemis nodded slowly, in understanding. She walked up to him and put her hand on his shoulder.

"I know. but that doesn't mean you give up, or take it out on anyone. Including yourself." Wally looked at her, he tilted his head slightly, in wondering how she knew he was blaming himself. Then again, how _wouldn't_  she know.

"There was nothing that you could have done to change anything that happened to Robin. I know that I blame myself too. I bet that everyone on the team does. We all can't help wonder if things would have gone differently if we had just trusted his abilities, and not judged him by his age, then maybe he wouldn't have left... But, there is one thing I know for certain. It's that, you're his best friend, and I know that Robin knows you are doing everything you can to find him. Which, you are." Wally gave her a small smile, and nodded his head.

"Thanks Arty... I guess I just can't stop thinking that he thinks I doubt him or something, and that I don't care or..." Wally trailed off, looking at Artemis, her hands resting softly at her sides.

"I know. But, he knows too." Wally felt like a weight was lifted off his shoulders. Like those very words just beat away the biggest burden he's ever barred.

"Well, let's not fail Rob then. Let's keep on searching." Wally then began to start searching everything again. But just as he turned away, he almost missed the small smile on Artemis's lips, and he smirked to himself. _I guess no one really knows anyone until they share a little heart..._

* * *

Batman sat stiffly in front of the huge monitors in the batcave. He was still trying to see if he could uncover any leads towards Robin's where abouts. He was also waiting for anything from those out searching Gotham. He just hoped that sending the team out was a good decision and that maybe they would find something he, or the other heros, overlooked.

Alfred frequently came to check on him, but Bruce turned Batman, just waved him off in a rather rude manner. But he couldn't find it in him to be polite anymore, he just wanted to find Batman's partner, and Bruce Wayne's ward.

Time seemed to tick by. But not at an even pace. Sometimes, he would look at the clock and it felt like no time passed at all, even though he'd been sitting for hours. And other times, he'd look at the clock, and a seemingly forever amount of time was barely a minute. This continued throughout the night. It was like a plague.

"Green Lantern to Batman." Batman shot up out of his daze, and clicked his comlink.

"Batman," he said gruffly, trying to chase the fatigue out of his voice.

"Seems like me and Flash found some guys workin' for Scarecrow." Batman didn't even bother to correct Hal's poor grammar, and replied.

"I'm on my way." Batman then got up and headed toward the batmobile.

"Master Bruce?" Batman spun around to see Alfred standing tall. "I wish to remind you not to raise your hopes too high, for I do not wish for you to return home worse than when you leave." Batman nodded and went back to get into the batmobile, he was then stopped one last time.

"Oh, and Master Bruce?" He looked over, and waited. "We will find him."

"Thank you," was Batman's simple response, and he was off.

Riding towards the location Hal had sent him, he couldn't help think about what Alfred had said.  _'don't raise your hopes too high'_  he was right, or course. Because if this was another dead end, he couldn't help think that he would feel much worse about the situation. _'What if everything I find lead me no where?'_  he tried to push that thought away, but he found he couldn't. For that was a huge possibility. Finding nothing, getting nowhere. But upon arriving at the location, he found his hopes getting higher of their own accord.

He saw Green Lantern and Flash standing over to bound thugs. Both thugs had masks on like that of Scarecrow's.  _'But that's too obvious...' ._

Batman pulled up in the batmobile, sending it to a halt. He then stepped out of the vehicle and headed towards the other heros.

"See what I mean?" Hal motioned to the criminal's masks. Batman just grunted before standing over the two. He removed their masks to reveal terrified faces. They both stared at the Dark Knight in utter defeat. Batman just growled again, making both thugs curl in on themselves a bit.

"You're working for Scarecrow?" Batman questioned. Flash and Hal looked confused at Batman for asking a kind of stupid question considering their masks. The thugs just looked away not giving an answer. So, Batman just lifted one by his collar and growled the question again.

"F-fine! Ye-yeah, we are!" The thug shouted in defeat. Batman just narrowed his eyes at them, almost in disbelief.

"See?" Hal said again. Batman just dropped the thug and glared at Hal, he backed off.

"If you're working for Scarecrow, why the masks? Those are the most obvious things in the world leading directly to him," Batman growled out. The thugs looked semi-shocked and the one Batman had dropped looked up at him.

"H-he said we had to 'cause of s-some upcoming a-attack or somethin'..."Batman narrowed his eyes even further if possible, and he grabbed the man again.

"Attack." Batman looked the man dead in the eyes.

"Y-yeah. He said for us to wear the m-masks 'cause of an a-attack." Batman dropped the man again and pressed a button on his belt to alert the police to come to this location. He then began walking away, and Flash ran in front of him.

"Woah woah woah. That's it!? Aren't you gonna integrate them "Batman style" or something?" The speedster questioned. Batman just glared at him and spoke again.

"Scarecrow's not in Gotham," he stated plainly. Both Flash and Hal looked very confused now. So, Batman continued. "If he were in Gotham he would never have anyone working for him look so obvious as to wear one of his masks. He did this to make us think he is in Gotham. Which means, he isn't." Flash and Hal stared in disbelief at him, wondering why they hadn't come up with that conclusion. Batman just brushed Flash aside and went back to the batmobile.

"Wait!" Flash shouted at him, Batman stopped to listen, but didn't turn. "What does this mean for Robin?" Batman turned to face him now.

"It means that we will have to search for him outside of Gotham, which is a whole lot more tedious, and that we have no where to start looking." Batman then left swiftly and sped away in the batmobile.

Batman could see only the downside in this. _'This means I have no idea where to search for him...'_  while Batman could only see that side of this, Flash couldn't help but think  _'At least we know he's not in Gotham, so that might make things a little easier...'_  but in all reality, now no one knew how to proceed,  _Robin could be anywhere..._


	7. Chapter 7

Lead. That's what he felt like. Cold, and solid. No movement available for him.

Robin lay stiff on the dusty floor of the warehouse he was being kept in (he still couldn't get over the fact that it seemed like every villain uses abandoned warehouses all the time). He was trying to calm and prepare himself for whatever type of toxin Scarecrow had next for him. He had also found himself often repeating in his mind that Batman and everyone else was coming for him, that they all cared, as if trying to convince himself that the first experience he had with the new enhanced fear toxin wasn't true. But he kept doubting himself. His thoughts would linger back to all of their faces as they told him he was weak,  _'It was just a toxin induced hallucination, that never happened, they don't feel that way, they couldn't feel that way'_  Robin found himself repeating in his mind. But it seemed that no matter what he did, that _hallucination_  was becoming more and more real, almost a memory.

Nothing felt right anymore.

"I would like you to know that the drug I gave you to stop struggling will wear off soon, then I can continue my tests..." Scarecrow's voice bounced around inside Robin's head, and it lingered. Now the feeling of lead he had previously was beginning to wear off, just like Scarecrow said, but Robin just wanted it to stay, he didn't want to feel anything at all. But feeling was inevitable, the long living curse of humanity. Never ending pain.

Sometimes, Robin would sit in his room and just think, just think about what was wrong with the world around him, whether he or anyone could fix it. But every time he did this, he found that no one could make it all better. But, people were trying, and perhaps failing, but trying nonetheless. That's what made being Robin so great. Not only could he escape being the orphan charity case for a while, but he could also be one of the few trying, and perhaps even succeeding, in make things better. Well, better being used loosely. Because really, nothing could ever be "better" as in nothing would ever be any worse emotionally, considering emotions linger like scars, but you never know...

Robin, in all his time of thinking, found that he could feel his body again, movement was now accessible, but he didn't move in fear of Scarecrow releasing toxin into the room. He could feel the soreness of his body returning as well, along with fatigue. He mind also began to clear, he could feel his brain becoming more aware of everything around him again, he could see everything in a new clearer looking glass. It felt... wonderful, to say the least. But he knew that because of this wonderful feeling, that he would be re-subjected to the torture that is Scarecrow's fear toxin. He could only hope now that the next strand he was subjected to wouldn't be as horrible as the first, but he highly doubted that.

He had a feeling Scarecrow knew now that the effects of the drug had worn off. So the entire room was, once again, being flooded with toxin. This time the toxin was a light yellow-green or chartreuse and smelled like rotting peaches. Robin couldn't not breathe and he decided long ago that trying to hold his breath was pointless, so he reluctantly breathed in (which was why he knew what the gas smelled of). His lungs didn't burn like usual, but they felt heavy, and it was almost as if his lungs had given up trying to look for clean air.

Robin's vision faded to a blinding white. He felt the nothing he longed for. But then, he was overwhelmed with questions.

_Why am I here?_

At first, that question didn't really make sense to Robin. He was "here" because Scarecrow had captured him, and brought him here. That's why.

_Why do I still exist?_

This overwhelming (way over  _whelming_ ) question confused him more. He existed because of his parents. Because that's the way the world worked out. It's not like one can stop existing.

_Why am I alive?_

Oh. I guess one  _can_  "not exist" anymore in a sense.  _'But why would I be asking myself this?'_ Robin wondered. He knew why he was alive. It was because he fought the world, because he wanted to stay that way, alive.

_Do I want to be alive?_

Of course he did! Why would he be asking himself these suicidal questions? Robin knew that he came from a dark past, and that when his parents died, he doubted his will to live. But because of Robin, he knew that he wanted to stay here, alive. Didn't he?

_I'm a burden to everyone around me, why should I even go on living?_

No. That was way too far. He wasn't a burden. He knew that. Right?

_I just don't have the will to end it, to make everyone else's life so much easier..._

And that last thought... was true.

* * *

The team had been called back in from the field after Batman's discovery. They were all disappointed that their efforts had been futile, but for some reason, both Artemis and Wally seemed a lot closer when they came back. Like something back there had changed both of them (of course, they both knew what happened).

Now sitting in the living room area of the mountain, they all found themselves trying to figure out a good place for Scarecrow to have taken Robin outside of Gotham. Kaldur had even gone so far as to take one of the spare holo-computers to try and find out where some good spots outside of Gotham for Scarecrow were. Artemis and Wally were bouncing ideas off of each other, and M'gann and Conner were talking through the mental link.

Batman was back at the batcave however, he was looking everywhere he could outside of Gotham in his databases. While the rest of the league were either protecting the world, searching just outside of Gotham, or were doing what everyone else seemed to be doing, and that was checking over the computer for places Scarecrow could be.

"How do you think Batman is taking the fact that Robin is not in Gotham?" M'gann asked randomly, which stopped everyone from what they were previously doing.

"I don't know Megan, but I don't think he's taking any of this lightly," Wally said looking her straight in the eye.

"Could... could you go and check on his family?" M'gann asked Wally with sad eyes. Wally found himself dumbstruck.

"Uh..." Wally was about to ask her why she wanted him to, or make up some elaborate lie, but M'gann cut him off, answering his first question.

"It's just... if I were Robin's parents... I don't know what I'd do knowing that my son was being held by some insane criminal, or that he was Robin in general... I just... I just want to make sure that they are getting comfort, or even just some reassurance..." M'gann trailed off. Wally really didn't know what to say to her. He could just tell her that "he would tell them, and/or talk to them" but he couldn't form any words. He just sat there, mouth slightly agape, as he stared into her sorrowful eyes.

"Wally?" Artemis asked snapping out of his trance.

"Uh... yeah... wi-will do Megs..." He finally forced those words out. But no one around him seemed convinced in the slightest. Artemis, however, since her talk with the speedster, didn't say anything knowing that things between Wally and Robin were complex and strange, but strong and trustworthy. Kaldur, remembering what occurred the last time they spoke of Robin's personally life, decided to remain silent. Superboy, however, was much more blunt.

"You're lying." Wally looked at the clone, and sent his eyes into a downcast. They all looked at him, not sure what he was going to do.

"Yeah. You're right. I am lying." They were all surprised he would admit to that. "But like I told you before, Rob's life is... complicated..."

"If you can... why is his life "complicated"?" Kaldur asked, curiosity overwhelming him. Wally looked at Kaldur and let out a long, depressing sigh.

"Rob hasn't had the easiest life, and things weren't always good for him, they still kinda aren't in a sense... But things change all the time, and for Rob... his "change" was abrupt. Not even the league know about his life, and I only know fragments... so... you'll just have to leave it up to Batman to really be the one in true contact with Robin's... p-parents... cause he's the only one who really know everything about Robin..." His statement was true, but the part about Robin's parents, was not, and could never be, true. Because the only way someone was ever going to be able to talk to Robin's parents/family was either talking to a headstone, or dying themselves and meeting his family in heaven. Neither seemed perfectly viable either way.

"Oh... I understand Wally... I didn't know..." M'gann let out quietly. At some point while Wally was talking, she had started to cry, and they didn't even know the whole story about Robin's past, and well... neither did Wally...

"Yeah... I just hope that in the end of all this, things will work out..." Artemis added. Wally hoped for that too.

"Team?" Red Tornado interrupted their little depression and guilt field trip with his entrance. They all looked to him, wondering if there was something that they were going to be doing to help more in the search. "It has be made aware to me that you will all still be taking part in the search." They all visibly brightened at this.

"Awesome! What do we have to do?" Wally sprang up shouting, his mood taking a dramatic turn.

"You will not be doing anything at this very moment." They all slouched a bit, in both disappointment, and slight wondering as to why he would tell them they would be helping in the search again, then let them back down. "But you will begin searching Blüdhaven tomorrow after going home, or staying here, and getting a good nights rest." They all seemed, for some reason, alright with this, and began to wander off to where they were meant to be. Besides, they were all exhausted, and Wally was starving, so they decided silently that it would be best if they rested as to be at full capacity tomorrow for searching. Red Tornado took their leaving as a hint that he got his message across, and left.

_Tomorrow is going to be a long, and hopefully fruitful, day._


	8. Chapter 8

Batman desperately searched everywhere he possibly could on his databases, looking for any sign of Scarecrow, and so far... nothing whatsoever. Which was completely predictable, considering how well Scarecrow seemed to be able to cover his tracks. It was almost as if he disappeared from existence.

Tapping away at the keyboard, Batman began checking every single police database for something that would lead to Scarecrow. Whether is was just some of Scarecrow's men beating up random (or not so random) people, or even an actual attack somewhere. But, nothing.

Batman's mind then began to wander back to when Dick first arrived at the manor, he got lost a few times, and would always be very quiet and reserved. He would stay in his room most of the time, often crying. He would always try and be perfect for him and Alfred. Neither Alfred nor Bruce knew why, until Bruce decided to talk to him...

_Bruce Wayne was sitting in his study, looking through the stock market reports. He had been looking at nothing but numbers and superficial people for hours, and it was becoming nauseating. He could almost feel the numbers and names engraved with a chisel into his mind. He then stopped for a moment to rest his tired eyes, he pinched the bridge of his nose with his thumb and index finger, sighing loudly. His slight brake was interrupted by the butler, who had raise Bruce from when he was eight on, walked into the room._

_"Master Bruce, I would like to inform you that Master Richard is held up in his room, and I have become quite concerned." Bruce nodded, and went back to his work. Then he heard Alfred couch to get his attention. Bruce looked over at him, and cocked an eyebrow._

_"Yes?" Bruce asked completely oblivious to what Alfred was hinting at._

_"When I decided to tell you this I expected that you would go and do something about it, but perhaps I over estimated you, and your ability to sympathize." Bruce looked bewildered at Alfred, and Alfred just left him with that. Bruce mulled over what Alfred had said, and realized what he was saying._

_Bruce sighed, and stood to make his venture to Dick's room. As Bruce was walking through the halls he thought about how depressed and in anguish he had felt when his parents died. But at least he had someone to take care of him. Richard's entire family died, and he was put, no, forced into a Juvenile Detention Center because all of the orphanages were full. He had gone through hell in there. How could Bruce pity himself when he at least had a home to go to? And now Dick was in a foreign place, with strangers, and he is probably scared, and he just doesn't have anyone to help him through his parents deaths. It must be a horrible feeling, the worst in the world..._

_"Dick?" Bruce asked for the small boy as he stood at his door. He heard a little shuffling from inside the room._

_"Y-yeah?" Bruce heard from inside the room, but the voice was so timid and small, if Bruce hadn't been Batman, he never would've heard it._

_"May I come in?" Bruce asked hesitantly, he didn't really know what he was supposed to say to the boy, he would just have to guess and improvise._

_"Sure..." Dick finally said, Bruce opened the door and slid in silently. He saw Dick standing in front of the bed, his head bowed. He looked so small..._

_"Alfred told me that you've been held up in your room all day." Dick looked up slightly at Bruce._

_"I-I just..." Dick tried to get out something that would make sense in this situation, but nothing would come out._

_"It's fine, but I think that we need to talk," Bruce said, trying to be as gentle as possible. Dick nodded and waited for Bruce to say something, and Bruce swore that he could feel those crystal blue eyes staring right into him. "How about you sit down," Bruce suggested, Dick immediately sat down on the bed, and Bruce walked over and sat next to him. He noticed that when he did sit, Dick inched a little away from him._

_"Why have you been cooped up in your room, and don't lie," Bruce stated plainly. Dick just looked down at his lap and sniffled._

_"I-I w-was thinking..." Dick stuttered. Bruce sighed._

_"Thinking about what?" He asked, hoping that he didn't know the answer._

_"A-about... about my family... and h-how I'll never see them ag-again..." Dick said quietly, never lifting his head, but Bruce could see the steady tears going down his face. Bruce sighed again. He knew this feeling. He had had it so much, and sometimes still does..._

_"Did you know that when I was eight, my parents were murdered, both shot, and I was with them, when it happened," Bruce suddenly said, after a bout of silence. Dick looked over at him, he had tears in his eyes, and he was sniffling. Dick lifted his arm and wiped his face on his sleeve, brushing the tears away._

_"R-really?" Dick asked quietly, trying not to stir anything._

_"Yeah... and I felt exactly how you do now..." Bruce said. Dick just sniffled again._

_"But at least you had a home to go to..." Dick said softly. Bruce was hoping that he wouldn't see that part in all of it, because he didn't want to have to say this, he didn't want to be too open, but..._

_"Yeah, I did." Dick looked him in the eyes. "But it didn't feel like a home without them in it... it felt so..."_

_"Empty," Dick finished for him. Bruce looked at him and nodded. "I know the feeling..." Bruce just looked to the nine year old for an explanation. "At first, I thought that I was going to stay with the circus, and that they'd take care of me..." Dick trailed off, Bruce then realized how hurtful it must have been to be told that he wouldn't be able to stay with his only family left, it must have felt like they didn't care..._

_"But," Dick continued, "I never thought that it'd be alright... everywhere I went in the camp, it just felt like there was no one there anymore. Despite all the people I knew all my life... but they just looked at me with pity... I was just a broken bird... I was angry at them for it..." Bruce remembered those looks of pity from those around him, he hated them for that, so much hatred..._

_"But I could never hate them." Bruce looked up surprised. He thought that Dick would be angry and mad at the world like he was. "I can't just blame it on others... or the world... If I did that, who knows where I'd be right now... the only person I was angry at, was the one who did the deed.." Bruce could feel all the gears in his head shift into place. Dick knew that if he searched for revenge on anyone, he would be corrupted. This boy was the most mature person Bruce had ever met. He knew that the only person to blame was the one who murdered his parents, no one else._

_"But even then," Dick continued, "I wasn't angry." Bruce nodded. "In that place, I wasn't angry," Dick then said so quietly, Bruce barely heard him,_

_"I was alone in a crowd..." All the emotion of his parents' murder was flooding Bruce, and he didn't know what to say._

_"You're not alone," Bruce said, cutting the silence. Dick looked at him, as if asking '_ How so? _'._

_"You're not alone, because you do have people who care," Bruce said slowly, "we care." Dick almost didn't believe him at first it seemed._

_"We care, because we understand, and you're not going to find too many that do." Dick had tears free falling from his face again. "I understand because I lived it. While Alfred understands because he's seen it. I may not have had the exact same experience you had, but I do know what it's like to see your world crumble before your eyes, and I hope that this huge empty house can be filled."_

_"By you?" Dick asked expectantly._

_"No. I hope it can be filled by you." Dick seemed shocked at what Bruce had said. "Because this house has been empty for a long time, and I brought you here to fill it. We didn't take you in out of pity, or for publicity. I took you in to fill the empty spaces here, the ones that weren't always empty, and hopefully will be again." Dick then gave Bruce a small, watery smile. Then, he began to cry even harder, and hugged an unexpecting billionaire. Bruce was frozen for a bit, but then he hugged Dick right back._

_Bruce knew then, that he would fill this empty house, and he would fill it with light._

Batman felt every emotion from that day come back to him, and that was when it all clicked...

"I know where he is," Batman said suddenly, he jumped out of his chair and raced towards the batmobile, leaving a very stunned Alfred in his wake.

* * *

Wally was, once again, searching through empty warehouses and barren buildings with Artemis. He just couldn't understand how there could be so many abandoned places to search, it's ridiculous!

"Find _anything?_ " Wally asked exasperated. Artemis just sighed,

"No, nothing since you thought you saw a chicken in that last alley." Wally just glared at her.

"There _was_  a chicken, you're just too blonde to see it."

"Too  _blonde?!_  What kind of a comeback is that!?" Artemis shouted at him.

"Well, it's the best one I've got at the moment. I'm just a little preoccupied." Artemis just rolled her eyes.

"If you're _preoccupied_  then why are you talking to me?" came Artemis's snarky response. Wally scoffed and didn't reply, he just went back to same thing they had been doing for hours. Nothing had changed.

That was true until Wally's comlink buzzed in his ear. Artemis looked over at him, she heard the comlink, and was waiting for him to do something.

"Kid Flash here," Wally said after clicking the side of his ear bud. He then heard a low voice come from the other end,

"Wally." Kid Flash was surprised that it was Batman, and that he was using his first name. "I know where Robin is," the bat continued, and Wally almost couldn't believe it.

"Seriously?!" Wally practically shouted, Artemis was already asking him "what?!" but Batman spoke again,

"Yes, he's on the outskirts of Blüdhaven, you and Artemis are the closest. I'm sending you the coordinates, your team will meet up with you there, and so will I." Wally just nodded,

"Yep, will do!"

"Batman out." Batman just cut the communication there, and Wally grabbed his communicator and looked for the sent coordinates.

"What is it?" Artemis asked standing close to him.

"Batman figured out where Robin is," Wally said in return.

"Wait, how the heck did he do that?"

"I have no idea, and I don't care, he's sending me the coordinates, and we've gotta go to the location," Artemis nodded, "from there we'll meet up with the team and Batman." Artemis nodded again, then a thought occurred to her,

"What about the league?" Wally just shrugged.

"Bats will probably tell them, but I'm guessing he just wants this to be his job, finding Robin I mean." Artemis nodded once more, then Wally spoke again. "Got it!" The coordinates were in, and now they were going to find Robin.


	9. Chapter 9

Robin knew he was alone now. Everything was clearer, and everything was dark.

Robin was laying still on the cold floor, he hadn't moved for a good hour or so, and he was stiff as a board. Scarecrow's goons would come in every once in a while to make sure he was breathing, and sometimes they would force water down his throat, it was unpleasant. They even had to change the lower half of his costume once because he had ruined them. Which wasn't surprising considering he didn't even remember the last time he went to the bathroom...

He had given up, which was plainly obvious. He knew that know one was coming for him, that they never were... and he knew that any hoping was futile in every way. He decided that the only logical thing to do now was not to let Scarecrow get anything from him, not even a scream, he wouldn't give him that satisfaction.

Laying there made the rest of the world blur, numb. The only thing keeping him occupied at that moment was making his vision focus in and out on different things. For some reason this was mildly amusing...  _Maybe I'm going crazy_... Robin thought to himself.

The thought of actually going insane like Scarecrow, or even the Joker, made a huge sense of dread settle in the pit of his stomach. He couldn't help but shake the feeling that if he ever got out of all this (which he knew he wouldn't) he wouldn't be the same in anyway. He felt like everything he had spent most of his life trying to avoid was crashing down on top of him, and it was suffocating.

He remembered when he first started training with Bruce to become Robin, and how hard it had been to make such a transition. But Bruce would take every opportunity he could to remind him that he was the one who wanted to do this. Of course he never gave up, he kept going, he had to bring justice for his parents, so he became Robin. But he couldn't help but feel like all these efforts, all the training and working, would be futile in the end, like everything that he had worked towards would just end up leaving him dead, or too broken to do anything.

Death didn't seem too bad right now...

Death. When he was younger he hated the thought of it, and after his parents died he hated it even more. But a little ways after that event, he found that death was a sort of comforting thought, knowing that he would, one day, be reunited with his family, no more living without them. And even if there wasn't a heaven or a place for people to reunite, at least he wouldn't have to keep trudging on without them.

Even though this may sound very suicidal, it wasn't. He wanted to live for them, his family. Because they hadn't gotten the chance to live full lives, so he had come to the conclusion that he would have to make up that lost time they never got, by living his own life.

So, he kept on training, to avoid the unavoidable for as long as physically possible. So it's safe to say that he became Robin for _two_  reasons.

Then, any and all thoughts that he had were interrupted by a loud obnoxious voice echoing through the building.

"Are you gonna  _do_  anything!?" Scarecrow shouted as he walked swiftly towards Robin. Robin had no reaction. Scarecrow was now standing over Robin, he bent down and grabbed Robin by the collar of his costume, which was greasy due to not having been washed recently. He pulled Robin up until he was only about an inch from his face. Robin just stared at Scarecrow, his eyes void of all emotion, dead.

"Why won't you do anything?" Scarecrow practically spat in Robin's face. "Why does it seem as though you have "left the building" in a manner of speaking?" Scarecrow asked, tapping Robin's head, a little more lightheartedly. Robin didn't do anything. Scarecrow's breathing grew heavier as he tried to calm himself down.

"Ever since that last little batch of toxin you haven't moved, or said a word, not even a loud breath has come from you...  _why?_ " Scarecrow didn't really think that Robin was going to answer him, did he? Scarecrow just kept the intensity, then he pulled his mask from his face, revealing Jonathan Crane. He was pale, and sweating all over, his eyes were sunken in and they had dark circles surrounding them. His brown hair matted with sweat and dirt, it hung loosely over his forehead. His crazed eyes staring into nothing, and everything all at once.

"Not gonna answer me, huh?" Scarecrow swallowed loudly, and dropped Robin back onto the cold unforgiving ground, and he left. Robin lay there again, hazing out and into what felt like a form of sleep that he had never experienced. He could hear everything around, muffled, but his entire brain refused to let him function outside of his body, and he couldn't think coherently.  _Scarecrow's and idiot and a genius if I've ever met one..._ Robin thought tho himself.

Then something he couldn't quite comprehend happened.

He felt the floor vibrating, like people were running around, and he heard people yelling, but he couldn't make out any words. This lasted for a good... ten minutes? He really had no idea, it felt like ten minutes...

Then he felt his body rise from the ground. He was being held in a sort of bridle style. The arms holding him were thick and strong, too beefy to be Scarecrow's, and they were covered in kevlar like material, so it couldn't be any of Scarecrow's goons, they were all just wearing t-shirts and jeans...

_Batman?_

No. It couldn't be Batman, because Batman wasn't coming for him. No, it had to be someone else. But even so, where would this so called person be taking him? And that was when he heard someone he never thought he would.

 _"Rob!?"_  The words being formed were choppy and unsteady in Robin's mind. _"Are- ok-? We- look, and- didn't- couldn't- ca- you -ear m-? Plea- something!"_  Robin could hear the panic rising in Wally's throat, but he couldn't say anything for two reasons. One, he was too out of it to make coherent enough thoughts to speak, and two, he was too shocked to believe any of this was going on around him. He then heard M'gann trying to calm Wally down, or so it sounded like...

 _"He's- alri- everyth- fine Wally, don't- it's- okay?"_  He heard M'gann saying, it sounded like she was saying that everything was alright, and that he should be okay. Robin even heard a muffled grunt in confirmation coming from Bruce.

 _"It'll- okay... Don't- it's- we're- please..."_  Robin heard Kaldur saying to the team in general.

 _"-Baywatch, he's- it's- don't worry about- it's fine.."_  Robin heard Artemis saying to Wally in her usual tone. He also heard Wally make some sort of remark in return.

Robin felt cool air flow onto him as he guessed they had stepped outside. He assumed that they would be heading to the bio-ship, then go back to the mountain, or even Batman might just bring Robin back to the batcave if he was feeling that secretive.

But then he remembered that he shouldn't be too glad he was being saved... being saved meant that he wasn't able to help himself, and that he had lost faith in the people he trusted the most. Plus now he would have to deal with Bruce and whatever lecture he would get on this matter. But none of that mattered right now..

He heard engines whining, and dozed off to his own slowing heartbeat...

* * *

Waking up in Mount Justice's medical wing was a huge relief, because after everything, he was just glad to be out of any dark depressing thoughts he may have had while with Scarecrow. He was just so happy about everything at this moment, being alive felt good for once.

"Robin?" Robin looked over to the door and found Batman standing there. Robin smiled slightly.

"Hey Bats..." he said slowly, he then waited for Batman to do or say something. So Robin just sat up straighter and looked to the bat, who was still in full costume, as was Robin, which was weird, but the costume was clean now.

"I'm very disappointed," Bruce started off saying. Robin didn't feel too shocked at this, he had a feeling that he'd be getting talked to about how stupid it had been that he let his emotions cloud his judgement, allowing him to be kidnapped by one of the "not-as-threatening-threatening" villains.

"I expected more from someone I trained."

"I-I know... I'm sorry... I let my own personal grievances and problems interfere with what I was doing, this allowed me to be caught off guard and to be taken by Scarecrow... I-I'm sorry," Robin stated, letting his head fall, he was now looking at his hands, which were currently preoccupied playing with the sheets of the medical bed.

"Sorry will get you absolutely no where." Robin nodded and continued to look down. "Look at me," Batman suddenly growled out, Robin's head shot up and he looked the Dark Knight in the eye.

"You are not to return home tonight, and you never will again until you can come and tell me honestly why I should even consider keeping you as a sidekick." The Bat swiftly left with that, Robin could feel a shard of ice slice into his chest, sending all the blood down into the pit of his stomach. His heart was in his throat, and the tears he had said he would never shed when this day came, began to cascade down his cheeks.

But Robin didn't make a sound.


	10. Chapter 10

Batman, no Bruce, was sitting over his comatosed son. It had been like this for a week now. They had tried  _everything_  to make him wake up, but nothing...  _Why?_  Bruce found himself constantly repeating in his head.

Everything had gone to plan on their rescue mission. Once Batman had figured out where Robin was, he called Wally and Artemis, they headed to the location Batman had sent them, then he called the rest of the team, and told them the same. He was already on his way of course. Everything was going the way it should...

_Batman was speeding towards the location he knew Robin was. The team was coming too, and the league were either approaching as well, or getting the medical bay ready for Robin, because they knew that he would need it._

_"Bats?" Kid Flash's voice crackled through the communicator._

_"Have you arrived on location?" Batman asked, Kid Flash replied in the affirmative, then asked what they were supposed to do. "Scope out the area, and take out any guards that may be around the perimeter, your team will be arriving, and so will I." He could practically see Kid Flash shake his head 'yes' before he responded._

_"Yes sir." Kid Flash cut the transmission, and the bat went back to focusing on driving. He was going way faster than he ever thought possible in the batmobile, and he was surprised that he hadn't crashed yet. For some reason it was like everything around him had slowed down to almost a stop. The bat then realized that this was most likely what it was like for the speedsters when they were running, and so they wouldn't crash into anything. It was kind of making him feel sick, Batman really couldn't understand how those speedsters manage to eat as much as they do and not throw up because of how fast they're always running._ 'Focus' _Batman thought to himself._

_Only then of course did he realize that he was now less than a minute away from the location, so he slowed the batmobile, preparing to come to a stop. He could see it now, the warehouse that he had tracked Robin to, and he could already see the splash of green, and red and yellow._

_Kid Flash waved Batman over to them as he got out of the batmobile. Batman just walked swiftly, and silently, over to the pair._

_"We scoped the area out, like you said, and we took out all the guards in the area." Batman nodded, and noticed that Artemis took very kindly to Kid Flash's use of "we" in his sentence._

_"Alright, I will see if I can locate Scarecrow, while you wait for you team, and once they arrive, look for Robin. If you find him after that, tell me immediately, and wait for further instruction." They both nodded, and the Dark Knight went to head out to look for Scarecrow, when Kid Flash stopped him._

_"How did you figure it out?" Batman looked at Kid Flash, and didn't know how to explain.._

_"'Alone in a crowd...'" Batman muttered, and both Kid Flash and Artemis looked confused. "When I was trying to figure out Robin's location, I began thinking about... something... that happened when I first met him... something he said..."_

_"Alone in a crowd?" Kid Flash asked, Batman nodded._

_"That made me realize that the best place to hide would be in a crowd, it'd be like trying to find a needle amongst a bunch of slightly different other needles..." They nodded. "Then I remembered that Scarecrow, aka Jonathan Crane, used to take cases in Blüdhaven, and I thought about it for a moment. I realized that the best place in Blüdhaven to "hide in plain sight" would be somewhere that was still in use, but would be vacant for good chunks of time." They nodded again._

_"So, this place isn't always abandoned?" Artemis asked, the Dark Knight nodded._

_"Every other month this place is used as a storage unit for crates to be sent to Gotham, so there are men swarming this area, which is why I didn't consider it at first, but I then realized that this month, the entire area is vacant." That was all the explanation needed. Kid Flash nodded to let the Dark Knight go, but Artemis asked one more thing._

_"Why would Robin say "alone in a crowd" to you?" Batman left his mouth slightly agape, he couldn't answer._

_"Artemis." Kid Flash said, he looked her straight in the eye, and she got the message._

_"I-it doesn't matter, just find Scarecrow, we'll find Robin." Batman nodded, and went towards the vacant building, while Artemis and Kid Flash went in the other direction towards one of the entrances they saw earlier, totally disregarding Batman's earlier orders to "wait for the team to arrive before searching for Robin". But they both supposed that it didn't really matter much anyway, they would be alerted if they arrived._

_The building was a typical shipping warehouse, and it had_ "110-675" _etched on the side. Neither Kid Flash nor Artemis knew, or cared, what the numbers meant, so they disregarded it. Artemis took the lead, Kid Flash close behind, and they slid into the shadows of the night._

_Heading through one of the smaller entrances, they began to search every area in this section, finding nothing. They headed for the second, and were greeted by the sight of Robin laying limply in the center of the room. Kid Flash let loose a small gasp at the state of his friend, and went to go get him._

_"No," Artemis said as she stuck her arms out to stop the speedster. "We have to alert Batman, then we can wait for further instruction." Kid Flash nodded, and began to call the bat._

_"You found him?" Wally replied with a small 'yes', and he heard a small, almost inaudible, sigh of relief come from the other end of the line._

_"I'll head towards that section, I have a feeling that Scarecrow's close by. So stick to the shadows, and I think I see your team, so let them know of you location, and give them the same instructions." Kid Flash again replied 'yes' and cut the communication line. Artemis was listening, and she nodded at him._

_Batman was swiftly gliding towards where he expected that Scarecrow would be, he couldn't wait to beat the shit out of the man. Then, he saw him, he was talking, no shouting, at some of his employes._

_"Well then, get the fucking kid to eat! You're not going to let him die, you got it!?" Scarecrow shouted at them, they nodded, and went back towards where Robin was._

_The Dark Knight looked over and saw that he was on the second level of this section of the warehouse, and he could see Kid Flash and Artemis lingering in the shadows, he waited until they noticed him._

_Kid's head shot up, and he looked him in the eye, Kid gave the Dark Knight a "thumbs up" telling him that the team were about to meet up with them, so Batman attacked._

_He hit Scarecrow from behind, and the man was out before even getting to see what, who, hit him. They all attacked at the sound of Scarecrow's body hitting the floor. The team shot out from the shadows and began taking out men. Left and right men appeared, then they soon hit the ground. Batman was taking out the men on the second level, while the team was handing the floor level. It took them about... ten minutes? It felt like ten minutes..._

_Batman rushed to Robin's side, scooping him up into his arms, holding him bridal style. The boy was groaning slightly, and was breathing heavily, he seemed really out of it. Though he did tense when Batman picked him up. Kid Flash sped over, and immediately started talking to Robin._

_"Rob!? Are you ok? We've been looking everywhere! and we didn't stop, we couldn't, can you hear me? Please say something!" Kid Flash practically shouted, and he heard Superboy grumbled that Robin "couldn't hear him," and that "he was passed out."_

_"He's gonna be alright Wally, everything's fine Wally, don't worry, it's fine, okay?" M'gann said, trying to calm him down to a manageable level. Bruce just said,_

_"He's breathing alright, he's fine." Although it sounded more like a grunt, he did say it quietly after all._

_"It'll be okay. Don't worry, it's alright, we're going to bring him back to the medical bay, calm down please." Kaldur's words seemed to help a bit more, at the mention of getting Robin medical attention._

_"Yeah Baywatch, he's breathing fine, and it's not going to take long to get to the mountain, don't worry about it, alright? It's fine. No matter how repetitive we're all being," Artemis added, using her snarky tone at the end. Wally chuckled a bit, realizing that they had all said the word "fine" at least ten times._

_"You're right, it's_ fine _," came Wally's witty comeback. They all then began to head for the door, and Kaldur called the league, and they said they'd be sending some people in on "Scarecrow Clean Up Duty"._

_The night was brisk, and Batman felt Robin relax slightly in his arms. They headed towards the bio-ship, and Batman told them to take Robin with them on one of their medical beds, and that he'd meet them at Mount Justice. And just as Batman handed Robin over to Superboy, to be carried into the ship, Batman felt Robin completely pass out in his arms._

_"His heartbeat is slowing..." Superboy said, and Batman looked at him, confused slightly._

_"What do you mean?" Kid Flash asked suddenly._

_"Right when Batman was going to give me Robin, his heartbeat began to slow down slightly..."_

_"Is it still slowing?" Batman asked in a rush of panic, as he felt for Robin's pulse._

_"No," Batman calmed a bit, "but it's slower than it should be..." Batman nodded._

_"It's probably a reaction to whatever is making him so drowsy." They all concurred, and Superboy took Robin into the bio-ship. Batman then headed to the batmobile, and they were all off..._

Everything should have been fine. But when they got back, and brought Robin into the medical bay, it seemed that somehow he had slipped into a coma... Bruce hadn't left his side since, and there were frequent visits from both the team, and Wally. Wally a lot. They all said that they would figure this out, and that Robin would wake up soon...

But Bruce couldn't shake this feeling...

"Please, please wake up..."


	11. Chapter 11

The team were all sitting on the couches in the main room. Nothing but the, becoming common, depressing silence.

They were all just waiting, hoping and praying, that someone would come in and tell them that Robin had woken up. That he was fine. That everything was going to be alright. But they all knew deep down that nothing was fine. No matter how many times they told themselves it would be okay, it wasn't.

Kaldur was trying to accept the situation. He needed to remain composed for the team. He's the leader after all. He can't just go breaking down, he has to keep strong. He always knew something like this could happen, he'd prepared for it. He knew. But that only softened the inevitable bullet, which just so happened to still be raging like fire within him. Something like this raging like fire is bad for anyone, but it's even worse for him, he keeps on finding himself unable to contain it. He's known Robin for a very long time. And he considers Robin to be one of his best land friends. Robin's always there, through thick and thin. No matter what, Robin has always been forgiving, and probably the least judgmental person you could meet. If you need someone to listen to your problems, he's there, and he never asks for anything in return. No matter how hard you try to give it to him. And this was just him... but Wally... he can only imagine what Wally must be feeling.

M'gann found that she was constantly blaming herself. For everything. Like it was her fault. She hasn't even known Robin as long as she would have liked, but this only makes it harder for her. Knowing that she may not get anymore chances to get to know the boy, it's all slipping through her fingers. She can only imagine how his family must be feeling, knowing that their son may never wake up. That they may never hear him laugh again, or be able to just plain know he's there again. He'd be gone. At this thought she began crying. And she could only imagine what Wally must be feeling.

Superboy hasn't known Robin very long. Actually, he hasn't known _anyone_  very long for that matter. But Robin has always been accepting of him. He doesn't judge like others do. All he cares about is whether you're a good person or not, and Robin has played a huge role in making him a better person. And if someone who just met Robin not too long ago could be feeling this about him, he couldn't even imagine what Kid Flash must be feeling

Artemis hasn't had a very long amount of time to get to know Robin. But from everything, she already knows that he's the kind of person who will never judge you. She already knew this based on how accepting he was of her right off the bat, he doesn't seem to pay any heed to what your past is, he only cares about what you do in the present. About who you are now. Not who you used to be. She could only wish there were more people like him in the world, so accepting, not judgmental. Just thinking about how he is, it makes you feel guilty about yourself. Like how you know you could never be that good of a person, no matter what you did. He's the kind of person that makes you want to strive to be better, to let everyone you've ever known get a clean slate, until you learn who they are  _now_. She knows this with so little time to know him, and she can only imagine what Wally must be feeling right about now...

"He's going to wake up, right?" M'gann suddenly asked, tears streaming steadily down her face. While Superboy was trying his best to comfort her, holding her close, in the best way he could.

"Right. He'll wake up soon. It'll be perfectly fine," Wally murmured, not looking up from his gaze. He seemed a lot more interested in his feet at the moment. Artemis was still trying to get him to look up. While the rest were all just trying to contain their grief, it was like he was already dead...

Wally's words did not make them feel any better, because they could feel how he was not trying to reassure them, but himself. And that... was unsettling. Because Wally, Kid Flash, never  _needs_  reassurance. He's always the optimist, the person who will hold out hope the longest. And to see him, doubting  _everything_ , it made all their stomachs churn.

"I'm sorry..." Artemis said suddenly. The team all looked at her, they had no idea what she meant by that.

"What?" Wally asked looking at her, confused. She sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose. She then looked back up at him, then, she faced the rest of the team.

"I just am... sorry, I mean. About everything. About letting anything bad happen. About making Robin feel like he had to leave the mountain in the first place..." Wally looked bewildered at her, along with the rest of the team.

"What the  _fuck_  are you  _talking about_?!" Wally shouted at her. She just looked at him, wide eyed. He then stood up and looked at the entire team, and they were all looking at him. They didn't know that he was about to explode.

"I can't _believe_  any of you! You're all  _blaming_  yourselves for what happened to Robin! Yes, we all may have held back on him a bit during training. And I agree that that was completely unjust, and just plain _stupid_  of all of us. And, yeah, if we hadn't doubted him, if we hadn't thought just because he's only  _13_  that that means he's any weaker than  _any_  of us, then maybe he wouldn't have left the cave. Maybe he wouldn't have felt like we thought he was _incapable_ , maybe Scarecrow wouldn't have taken him  _that night_. But none of us can say that if we hadn't been as stupid as we were, that Robin would never have been taken by Scarecrow anyway.

Because even if he hadn't left the mountain that night, Scarecrow still would have found a way to get to Robin. No matter what we did. And now, now we have to forgive ourselves for what we did. Because we know that  _Robin_  would. If Robin hadn't gotten taken by that sicko, we would have been able to  _talk_  to him about what we did, and we all would be able to tell him how we felt. How we _feel._  He knows that what we did was idiotic, and  _he_  knows  _we_  know. So, we can't waste time sulking over  _what if_ , what we  _could_  have done, what we  _should_  have done. Instead, we have to go and  _do_  something about it. We have to figure out what's wrong with Robin, and  _fix it._  Because that's our duty, that's what we  _have_  to do." The team looked like they had all been slapped in the face by the nicest man in the world. Purely stunned. And now filled with grief. What Wally had just said, struck close to home. And the worst part? He was right.

"What do we do, then?" Artemis asked, trying to hold back tears as she stared at the speedster. Wally looked over at her, staring her straight in the eye.

"We're gonna go talk to Scarecrow."

* * *

"So... What happened with Batman?" Kid Flash asked his best friend who currently sat beside him in the main area of the mountain. Robin looked up from his downcast gaze, and faced Kid Flash.

"I can't go home until I can give him a good enough reason for him to even consider me." Kid Flash nodded, and looked back over at the screen in front of them. They were sitting in front of the T.V., where they had spent so many times before.

"So," KF started again, "what're you gonna do?" Robin just sighed and looked back over at Kid Flash, even though Kid wasn't looking at him.

"I guess I'll do what he said to do... I'll stop being such a screw up, and I'll prove to him that I'm worth his while. 'Cause right now, I'm not." Kid Flash nodded again, and got up, leaving Robin by himself. Without so much as another word. Robin just sat in the silence, trying to contemplate what to do about everything. But nothing was coming to mind. He didn't know how to stop being himself, a screw up that is. He wasn't sure what to do about anything anymore...

_'I guess I'll do what he does... take away any and all emotion...'_

That seems like the only option at the moment. He knows that Batman will agree with that answer. That's for sure. Considering that's what  _he_  does...

"Oh, I almost forgot. I need to tell you something," Kid Flash suddenly reappeared and said. Robin looked over at him, and gave him a small gesture to continue.

"They," Kid Flash made a general gesture to what Robin could only assume was 'the team', "wanted me to be the one to tell you... that you're off the team." Robin nodded, and Kid Flash continued. "It's just... If you couldn't even get out of that situation with Scarecrow by yourself, then you have no place on this team." Robin merely nodded again.

"I expected as much. And you don't have to worry, I get it." Wally gave a curt nod, and went to leave. But Robin stopped him, suddenly appearing directly behind the speedster.

"Oh, and Kid?" Kid Flash turned around, and looked at him, startled. He hadn't heard a sound. And there was most certainly not enough time for a non meta-human to get there that fast. Robin spoke though, cutting off Kid's thought process.

"I just want to let you know that, the next time you see me, be aware of what you have just ignited." Kid Flash looked genuinely shaken by this statement, and could only nod. Robin nodded back at him too, and smiled, only succeeding in making Kid Flash feel worse.

Robin left the teen with that, leaving the mountain. Only a faint,  _"Recognized, Robin, B-01,"_  and the sounds of uneasy breathing, left in his wake.

* * *

Bruce felt like this world just loved to watch him suffer. And because of everything, no one could argue with him. But sitting here, in the Watch Tower, surrounded by the rest of the Justice League, he couldn't handle their acceptance of everything that has happened.

"How are we going to deal with Scarecrow, then?" The Man of Steel asked the other heroes in the room. They all exchanged looks, all deliberately avoiding clashing glances with the Dark Knight. None said a word to one another. Until Batman spoke.

"We don't have to." They all looked to him, confusion written in their features. "All we have to do, is figure out what strains of toxin he gave to Robin, then we'll be able to find out what's keeping him in a coma," Batman stated plainly. The league all shared simultaneous glances, and Superman sighed.

"I meant, what are we going to do with Scarecrow, now that we have him." Batman looked like he was about to hit the boy scout right then.

"We're going to  _do_  what we always  _do_  with criminals from Gotham. We're going to send him off to Arkham asylum, for _life_ ," Batman growled, and Superman cowered underneath his glare, so he plainly nodded.

"Right," Superman let out after a moment, "I'll go send out a notice to Arkham, while the rest here either, go back to their cities, go with Batman to test samples of toxins that we got from Scarecrow's base of operations, or stay and tend to Robin." They all nodded, and decided what to do. While most went to go back to their cities, because they thought that they had nothing to do here, they had no hope, others stayed or went with Batman.

Green Arrow, Flash, Green Lantern (Hal), and Martian Manhunter, all went with Batman to help him run tests. While Black Canary, Red Tornado, Wonder Woman, and the other Green Lantern stayed to tend to Robin. While Hawkwoman thought it best to help Superman get Scarecrow to Arkham, as she didn't think there was much else she could help with.

"So, how're we gonna do this?" Flash asked, looking between their small group of heroes. Batman then turned and faced them all.

"Follow me."


	12. Chapter 12

Flash, Green Arrow, Martian Manhunter, and Green Lantern were all following the Dark Knight to locations unknown to them. They didn't bother asking any questions, considering all they would get is shady answers. But that didn't mean that walking through dark hallways of the Watchtower that they'd never seen before didn't raise any questions, they just didn't ask any.

They were all surprised that they had never seen any of these parts of the Watchtower before. Perhaps they just never had the need to go down here? Probably, considering Flash was usually either at work, home, or his other work. And by 'other work', I mean his Flash business, not something super creepy Barry Allen does on the side. Green Arrow is usually either acting his part as a playboy billionaire, or being Green Arrow. While Green Lantern is either protecting the universe, or just being Hal Jordan.

While Batman... Well, Batman's Batman. You can't really change that. He's also Bruce Wayne sometime too though, and recently the entire league just figured out how much of a father he is too. But that doesn't matter right now, because right now they needed to make sure that the father part of the bat wouldn't disappear.

Without realizing it at first, the bat had stopped, and Flash nearly crashed into him.

"Wha-..." Flash said a little startled by the abrupt stop. Batman faced the group of heroes.

"You all have, most likely, never been to this part of the Watchtower." They all gave little gestures of 'yes'. "While the Watchtower was being designed, I added this area as a sort of makeshift version of the batcave, incase I couldn't get into the cave or I needed more certain equipment than I have down there, like now." Batman then swiftly turned and lead them all into the new room. It was just like Batman said, it was pretty much a makeshift version of the batcave in the Watchtower, just a little less... cave like. But there was considerably a lot more advanced tech, most likely because the bat couldn't fit all of this down in the cave. The heroes took a moment to marvel at the room around them, then they looked to the bat for what they were supposed to do now that they were here.

"This area has much more advanced analyzing systems, and at first I didn't think we'd need it, but now I know we do." They nodded, and Batman walked over to the bigger version of the batcomputer. He took from his belt 3 different test tubes, one had blood in it, one had most likely spinal fluid, and the other had a different fluid they didn't want to think about just yet. Batman then typed something on the computer and brought up a brainwave chart, it was still active, and labeled  _"Robin"_.

"Green Arrow, you're going to be observing Robin's brainwaves, looking for any abnormalities, and checking to make sure everything is stable for now." Green Arrow nodded curtly, and Batman held up the three vials. "Flash, you're going to run extensive tests on all of these." Flash nodded, and took the vials from the bat. "Green Lantern, I need you to keep run on all of the tech, make sure everything is in perfect working order all while waiting for any updates from me." Hal nodded, that only left Martian Manhunter left. "J'onn, come with me." Batman then swept past them, and J'onn followed.

Flash immediately got to testing, and Green Arrow took a seat watching the brainwaves. While Green Lantern began checking the instruments and tech all around them. None said a word, because right now they all had to be immensely focused on what they're final goal is.

Save Robin.

* * *

"Has Scarecrow been taken back to Arkham yet?" Artemis questioned as her and the rest of the team followed Kid Flash through the mountain towards the bio-ship.

"Most likely. That's why we're going to Arkham now, Superman probably dropped him off there, so all we need to do is get a room to talk to Scarecrow once there." They nodded, not questioning Kid's leadership. Because right now, he was what they needed to save Robin.

"What're we gonna do once we get to talk to him anyway?" Artemis asked, she just really needed to know how this situation was going to play out, hoping that she'd get to hit the bastard.

"Both you and Kaldur will be interrogating Scarecrow," he stated plainly. Agreeing, Artemis got ready for what was coming, as did Kaldur.

Now at the bio-ship, they filed in with M'gann leading the way. She sat down at the pilot's chair, and closed up the front. Once they were all seated, she morphed their seat belts on, getting ready to head out towards Gotham. She raised the ship, and had the main doors open for her, gliding into the sky now camouflaged.

"Do you think that the league will be mad at us for this?" M'gann asked the rest. Kid Flashed just nodded,

"Yep. But that doesn't matter anymore, all we need to do is what we're supposed to do." No more questions asked. But a silent ride would only increase tensions. There was nothing more to say however, so the ride continued this way. Reaching Gotham however raised a few questions.

"Why is it so dark here?" M'gann asked the team in general. Artemis shifted at the question, and Kaldur looked out the side curiously with Superboy. Kid looked up and answered her innocent question,

"Mostly smog. But it's almost five anyway, so it's not that unusual."

"Right." M'gann nodded understandingly, she then asked, "Where should I land her?"

"Anywhere near Arkham, but not too close to the inner workings of the city, stick to the outer bearings." Accepting the order - which it was - M'gann directed the bio-ship to a point that wasn't exactly close to Arkham, but was away from the inner workings of Gotham. Descending, and landing, heading out, and heading for Arkham was now their next list of things to do.

Done, done and done.

"Follow me, I know a good way to get to Arkham without attracting too much unwanted attention," Kid said like a chief of command.

"Right," they all replied almost simultaneously, causing Wally to chuckle; he felt like a real leader now.

"Oh, and Artemis," she looked up ready to take order from Kid, "keep to the back. You live in Gotham, you know what it's like." She nodded, and let the rest file in front of her, keeping watch at the rear. You never know what you're going to get with Gotham.

Kid Flash managed to weave them through back alley ways, and different intertwining buildings that made the whole city look like the architects were high on drugs designing it. The different confusing non-patterns could make you go mad, no wonder why this city's so crazy. But Kid got them through it just fine, with help of Artemis at the rear keeping an eye out. Then they saw it.

Arkham Asylum.

Scared the hell out of them for a moment there. You can hear the screams, and see the blood. This building comes straight out of horror and nightmares about insanity. Kid turned and faced the team.

"Kaldur, you and Artemis go in first, keep your leadership oras up." Kaldur nodded. "Superboy, you keep back and look out." He nodded. "And M'gann, be prepared to use your powers on both Scarecrow and anyone else," she nodded, "hook us up then." She set the mind link, and they headed in, looking as confident as ever; when really they were scared for their lives around this area of Gotham.

The screams were as loud as possible once inside the asylum. The guards looked up at the claude kid heros, and one officer scoffed a bit. They went to the desk, and Kaldur put his 'I'm-in-charge' face on.

"We need to speak to the villain known as Scarecrow, aka Jonathan Crane, alone in an interrogation room." The woman at the desk took a long drag on her cigarette, and blew out the smoke in Kaldur's face. She then rolled her eyes and put out the bud, and began typing into the clunky DEL computer at her desk.

"Yah, we got 'em here," she sucked in some air and continued, "I could probably get you an empty room with 'da crazy," Kaldur's face lifted slightly, "probably." Then it fell.

"So, can you?" He asked more reluctantly now.

"Lemme check." She took out another cigarette and lit it with a click of a black lighter that was sitting on the desk. She took another long drag, and kept it between her fingers, letting her fake red nails click the keys on the computer. She looked at the screen with much thought, then spoke again. "Yeah... we got nothin' kid." Kaldur's demeanor visibly darkened at this. Kid then nudged the atlantean out of the way, and pulled a twenty out of one of the folds in his suit. Flicking it over to the yellow toothed woman, she flashed her teeth.

"Well, look at that! We got an opening." She then handed them a slip of paper that would allow them to get by the guards, that had the number of the interrogation room. She then took her pen and pushed the button on the intercom, telling the guards to get Jonathan Crane out of his cell and to room 1339, restrained of course.

This is going to be very interesting.

 


	13. Chapter 13

Going through the shady, pungent, narrow hallways only made the team feel more uneasy. Not only that though, the hallways seemed to maximize the sound of the insane screaming. But they had to put their bravest faces on, and keep on going straight to room 1339.

Passing the cells was the worst though. Because the inmates liked to laugh at heroes, and it was only even more funny because of their ages'.

"Can't they just shut up for, like, 2 seconds?!" Artemis screamed in a hushed voice at Kid Flash while going down the halls. The inmates were pointing and grabbing through the bars of their cells, and they mostly would be reaching for the girls. Superboy looked like he was about to explode along with Artemis.

"Apparently not," Kid Flash said with an uneasy tone as he watched them shout for release. Kid just had to soak in the thought _'just keep walking, this is for Robin'._ He had to let this circulate in his mind in order to keep going. Artemis scoffed and went back to walking with her usual boldness.

The team had to use great effort in attempt to keep up with the guard leading them to the interrogation room, because he was speed walking to the max. None of them were even sure how he was still "walking", even Kid had to sometimes use his super speed to keep up a bit. He was probably walking fast in order to get out of here as fast as possible. So they couldn't complain.

Then the line of cells stopped, and the screaming grew a bit more distant. They took a sharp turn and were lead down a wider hallway with a line of numbered rooms on either side. Each door parallel to each other would be either one number more or less.

_1336_

_1337_

_1338_

_1339._

"Here you go. A group of other guards will bring in Scarecrow soon enough, so just wait," the bruley looking guard said, yet he looked nervous. Kaldur nodded, and the guard unlocked the door to the room, he let them in and shut the door behind himself as he left.

They were all some what blinded by the brightness of the room. They had all grown so accustomed to the dark hallways, this white, fluorescently lit, room seemed brighter than a spotlight. There was a silver metal table in the center of the room, and it had quite a few red stains on it, all with metal chairs on either side. One chair however, had straps and was on the side of the table with the handcuff hook up to the table. Not surprisingly, there was no double sided mirror or anything of the sort. They were alone and unwatched in this room, save the security camera.

"So, how are we gonna play this?" Artemis asked. The rest of the team looked to Kid Flash, because he was the one who lead them into this in the first place.

"I think we should play it on instinct." Artemis looked bewildered, and Kaldur looked a bit disappointed.

"So, you have no thought up a plan?" Kaldur said, because it really wasn't that much of a question. Artemis just looked at Kid, feeling like if he didn't say something remotely intelligent she'd probably slap him, even with her new found respect.

"And by 'instinct', I mean you do what feels right in the moment." Artemis was just about to slap him before he continued. " _But_ , all while following this one basic format."

Speaking through the mindlink now, Kid Flash relayed his strategy to all of them. He was just about done, when 3 guards came in, hauling one Jonathan Crane with them. They sat him down in the restraining chair, and strapped him in. They then handcuffed him to the table, and left without a word.

They all just stood there. Looking at the sweaty, beaten man before them. He had his head hanging low, looking at his hands, and he was somewhat leaning heavily against the table. His brown hair, matted with sweat, and his face caked with dirt and grime, he didn't look up or speak to them. He seemed like he was almost...

Waiting?

Kaldur then cleared his throat slightly, indicating he was going to speak. So he and Artemis went into their positions in front of the man, while M'gann, Superboy, and Kid Flash retreated towards the wall behind them. They were there to watch for the moment.

"Hello Mr. Crane, I hope that you feel well enough to cooperate with us for the deterioration of our.. visit," Kaldur said politely, still standing tall next to Artemis, neither of them dared sit.

"Well enough to tell you all you want to know about our little birdy, you mean," Scarecrow said quietly, yet loud and clear, never looking up.

"Not 'want to know', need to know," Artemis said firmly.

"Right, right..." Scarecrow said, his tone very airy. He then licked his lips, and cracked his neck a bit, never looking up.

"We need to know what strands of toxins you gave to Robin," Kaldur said, getting straight to the point. Scarecrow sighed, and tapped his fingers slowly against the table. Taking in deep breath through his nose, he held this breath for a moment before speaking.

"You are all the same," he mumbled. Kaldur had to resist raising an eyebrow.

"Don't stall. You are going to tell us what strands of toxin you gave to Robin," Kaldur said. Scarecrow hummed sort of sarcastically, if that's possible. He shifted his jaw, making a loud unpleasant cracking noise echo through the room. M'gann had to hide a wince, and keep herself composed, the tension in the room was growing unbearable, and they could all feel it.

"Uh-huh. So that's what's going to happen, is it?" Scarecrow said slyly. Kid Flash shifted uncomfortably on his foot, and Artemis broke the silence.

"You are going to tell us what we need to know, no need for useless questions," Artemis said with calm malice towards Scarecrow. But Scarecrow just chuckled a bit, his gaze still fixed on his hands.

"That's funny... I was right," Scarecrow remarked with an eerie humor. Kaldur spared a glance at Artemis, and she did the same for him, both about to ask the same question.

"Right about what, exactly," Again, Kaldur said this like a statement, not a question. Scarecrow stayed silent for a moment, before responding.

"Think back a few minutes..." Kaldur did, and he remembered Scarecrow's comment about how they're 'all the same'.

"All the same in what sense," Kaldur said.

"What the little green arrowette said before... the bat said the same thing." The team each looked at each other. "You're all the exact same, you heroes."

"That's because we all have a common goal," Kid Flash said, not being able to take being drawn out by Scarecrow any longer. "Our current goal being waking Robin up."

"Of course. That was made apparent by the bat too," Scarecrow said, still avoiding telling the team anything. Kid Flash then walked up closer to the table and sat down across from Scarecrow, sending the others away.

"What else did the bat say?" Kid Flash asked, and for some reason, this question got Scarecrow to look up at him, Kid had to hold back a gasp.

His eye sockets were black around each eye, but not from bruising, from lack of sleep. And his two dull brown eyes were red instead of white on the outer regions of each eye. While his face was deathly pale, like a corpse that hasn't seen the inside of an embalming room. His cheeks sunken in, and his lips dry and cracked. He looked even more crazy than usual. Then he croaked out a sentence.

"Just that he wanted the cure to wake Robin up," Scarecrow's voice was cracking, and his breath in Kid's face made him get up as to get away from the horrid smell.

"Anything else?" Kid asked.

"Nothing in particular interest," Scarecrow replied.

"So... what is it then," Kid Flash asked, and Scarecrow seemed slightly confused.

"What's what?" he asked.

"The cure." Scarecrow's face shifted with understanding. "How do we wake him up." Scarecrow sighed through his nose. Looking almost solemn, he responded.

"Like I told the bat, there is no cure," Scarecrow said slowly, almost in slight regret. The team just stayed in a suspended disbelief, none wanting to take what they've just heard to heart.

"What do you mean, 'there is no cure'?" Kid asked firmly, hoping and praying to god that Scarecrow was lying, or just meant that Robin would wake up on his own eventually.

"I mean, there is no cure. There's nothing you can do to wake him up," Scarecrow said, looking like he was expecting outrage, but he would get none.

"You... you told Batman this then?" Kid said. The team just looked at him, disbelieving, wondering how he could believe Scarecrow. But then again... he has not much of a good enough reason to lie right now...

"I did. He wouldn't believe a word of it. Nothing I could say would ever convince that man, he's probably out recruiting people to look for a cure right now," Scarecrow said simply, all of the previous insanity slipping away, and being replaced by something rather disturbingly lucid.

"What went wrong?" Kid asked, surprising Scarecrow and confusing the team.

"How'd you know?" Scarecrow asked him, looking curiously at the young speedster.

"Well, you know that without a cure you have nothing to hold over our heads, nothing to make us let you free, no form of leverage." Scarecrow nodded along with Kid's thoughts, and he continued. "So, the only reason you  _wouldn't_  have a cure would be that something went wrong during your testing sessions." Kid looked to the unmasked villain, and received a nod from him.

"You are too correct for your own good, and mine," Scarecrow said levelly. "When I subjected Robin to the last form of toxin, it did not give me the... desired effect. Instead of what it was supposed to do, it did that then went on to sending the bird into a delayed coma type state, which you of course, already know." Kid nodded, and he looked to the rest of them, they all showed their understanding too, trying to except this information.

"So... there's nothing we can do?" M'gann said quietly, bringing everyone's fear to the light.

"Unfortunately, all you can do now, is wait." Scarecrow said. Then Superboy looked a bit confused, and angered.

"Why does it sound like you actually care?" Superboy asked gruffly, trying to hold back his anger. Scarecrow raised a sweaty eyebrow.

"Because, I _hate_  it when something of mine doesn't go to plan. But don't be mistaken, I have  _no_  regret or sympathy for any of you.  _Especially_  the bat." Scarecrow hissed, and Superboy glared at him, trying not to bash his head in.

"Good," Kid then said, causing the others to give him a look, "'cause that means that I don't have to hold any sympathy for you when we send you back to your cell to listed to the screaming mix with your own," Wally said darkly, he then gave a small hand gesture to the camera, and two guards came in and dragged Scarecrow out, but not before he said one last thing.

"You may want to pay attention to the bird's dreams. Just a tip." Then he was gone with the guards, back to being absorbed by the psychotic halls of Arkham.


	14. Chapter 14

Watching over Robin was harder than it may seem. Because that's the most you could do, just watch. All the overwhelming grief and depression in the room, it saturated the air around, no more room to breath. It was suffocating.

Everything was weighing down on her all at once, and she could tell that it was effecting everyone else too. Especially Batman, but that much was obvious. She could only guess that the reason that she was feeling so strongly about this is because of how much Robin has affected everyone around him. They all knew and know this about him. His infections happy attitude, and his bright dimenor.

That is what makes him so great for everyone, the bat most of all. He is what keeps Batman afloat, what keeps him from drowning in his own darkness and self loathing. If only he would wake to shine bright; casting away the shadow that is the Dark Knight, leaving only Bruce Wayne to take that empty space.

She wondered what was going on in his head right now. Whether he was dreaming of a happy ending, or a crushing beginning, she just couldn't help but hope that he would chose to leave whatever dream or nightmare he was experiencing, and come back to all of them.

But everything seems so hopeless, they were all starting to wonder whether or not to give up and accept the heartless truth.

It had been about an hour that Black Canary had been sitting there, and he thoughts were over taking her so, she fail to hear the soft thumps of footsteps coming from behind her.

"Black Canary?" a voice from behind her said. Black Canary looked over seeing Kid Flash, he was followed closely by the rest of the team, and they were all standing there watching her. She took a breath and face them.

"Yes?" She asked, looking them all over, and they all seemed pretty shaken. She was just hoping that whatever they were doing before they got here, wouldn't be what she knew it was.

"Well, we were just-" Wally tried to say, be she stopped him.

"Talking to Scarecrow, I know," she said. None looked too surprised that she knew, but they were just hoping that she didn't know what he had told them.

"Yeah, well... we did, and he told us some things... and, yeah..." Wally stuttered. Black Canary just nodded.

"What did he tell you," Black Canary asked, yet it was not a question. Wally took a deep breath and sighed.

"There is no 'cure', or anything that we can do physically for him that will wake him up," Wally said slowly, almost carefully. Black Canary nodded again, she had almost expected as much, but that didn't change the fact that she had hoped.

"Anything else," she asked. Wally took another step closer, adjusting on his feet, and the rest of the team shuffled more comfortably into the room, with much caution.

"Yes," he said, uncertain. While Black Canary just waited for him to continue, but he didn't.

"Could you, possibly, elaborate for me?" This was a question. For she was growing weary as to whether she actually wanted to know. She really didn't want to be fed false hope.

"He, Scarecrow that is, told us something... strange, before he was taken away by the guards," Wally said hesitantly. He wasn't totally sure what to make of his thoughts.

"What did he say?"

"He said,  _'You may want to pay attention to the bird's dreams'_ , if I remember correctly," Wally stated after a bit. Black Canary was trying to get her head to process this.

"What do you think it means?" she asked, sorting through everything that this could point towards.

"It means-I mean, well, I- I  _think_ , it means that there's something going on in Robin's head right now, and he's trapped there, and all we need to do, is, get him out." Black Canary's eyebrows shot up, then furrowed in thought. And the more she thought about it, the more she was agreeing with it.

"You're probably right," she said, and once she did the air lightened. But they weren't sure what to do now.

"What're we gonna do then?" Artemis asked, her eyes shifting from person to person, then landing on Wally after seeing the blank looks.

"I have a pretty good idea." After saying this, Wally's eyes flew over to M'gann, so did everyone elses.

* * *

Robin was jumping from building to building, glued to the shadows. Unseen by anyone and everyone, and this was just how he preferred it.

He continued to slice through the cold and moist air of Gotham, heading back to the grungy motel he was currently staying at.

He'd been staying there for about a week now, that was how long it had been since Bruce kicked him out. But Robin was fine with this, it gave him more time to train by himself.

He was still training, and training harder than ever before. He did have some help, of course, with his new training to prove himself to not only Batman, but everyone in the Justice League along with his former team. But, he tried not to think about that too much.

The person helping him was the leader of a group of outlaws. They weren't the type for murder, or taking over any form of government however. They just liked going against the law, and stealing was a particular favorite of theirs. Robin didn't mind.

His name is Red Hood. He has a huge grudge against the Batman, Robin isn't sure what it is exactly, but he doesn't really care. For some reason every once in a while Robin will catch Red Hood looking at him as if they had met before now. Sometimes, Red Hood will even talk about past events with someone he calls _Nightwing_  and act as if Robin had been there with him.

On what Robin could tell, this Nightwing character is only a few years older, perhaps not even that, and it also seems that Nightwing is a hero which is strange all things considered. But, this didn't seem to bother Red Hood, it was almost like they were brothers.

As Robin reached the small, falling apart building, he could already see a silhouette sitting on the small couch in the window of his room. It was most definitely him, and Robin was fine with this, despite the breaking an entre.

Robin slid into an alleyway, and changed out of his costume. He was now in his typical clothing line, sunglasses included, but the colors were all much darker than usual.

He slid into his room, and stared at the man sitting on the couch, they didn't say a word.

Robin just nodded to him, and went into the small kitchen area, grabbing a bottle of water from the almost moldy fridge.

He glugged half the bottle down, and set it on the counter. Looking back over at the masked figure, he sighed.

"Are you going to say something," Robin said slowly, almost accusingly.

"Not sure just yet," Red Hood replied smirkingly.

"Hmm," Robin hummed, "I'll wait then."

"Yes, you will," Red Hood agreed.

Robin sighed through his nose, and went back to his water.

Red Hood swallowed purposefully loudly, and shifted into a more comfortable position on the couch.

Robin then sat at the small kitchen table, and stared blankly ahead.

Red Hood just reached forward, and took a magazine from the coffee table he was resting his feet on. It was an issue of _Proper Mechanics,_  they were doing a section on what it would take to create your own batmobile.

Robin swung his feet up onto the table, and tipped his chair back.

Red Hood coughed a bit into his elbow, and went back to reading the magazine.

Robin just sat, silence.

Red Hood was slightly surprised by Robin's restraint. But he still wasn't sure what to say yet, whether or not to be blunt, no matter how much he wanted to get up and hit the kid.

Robin could feel that Red Hood was angry with him, and he could understand why. He was angry at himself, but he has to keep his cool.

"You killed someone," Red Hood finally said, breaking the tension, but creating a whole new reason to want to leave.

"Yeah, I did," Robin replied, in an apathetic tone.

"So you admit it," Red Hood said, not getting up from his spot.

"There's nothing to admit, I know you know that it's true, whether I say so or not," Robin shot back, icey venom in his words.

"Did you know the guy?" Red Hood asked, and Robin shifted.

"No."

"..."

"..."

Red Hood sighed.

"Glad to hear it."

"..."

"..."

"I didn't mean to," Robin mumbled. Red Hood could tell that this whole thing was a mistake.

"Tell me what happened."

"..."

"What happened," Red Hood reiterated.

"I was in a darker side of Gotham, and I..."

"And you...?"

"I saw a man beating another guy to death. I went down to stop what was happening, and I noticed the man beating on the other guy was a member of GCPD," Robin said slowly.

"Then what happened."

"I went down there and stopped him."

"..."

"And I... I, handcuffed the beaten guy along with the cop."

Red Hood nodded at him to go on.

"But the guy, the cop, started yelling at me that he was doing his job."

Red Hood nodded again.

"It was attracting some attention, and before I knew it the beat up guy attacked me from behind."

"So, you killed him."

Robin nodded, then quickly added, "But it was on accident, he was already partially beaten to death, and I just... finished the job..."

Red Hood sighed again.

"Be more careful, I know that you're still mad about the whole batman thing," Red Hood said, he then got up from the broken couch, and headed out the door. The magazine still clutched in his right hand.

Robin sighed, 'mad about the whole batman thing', was an understatement.


	15. Chapter 15

"What do you want me to do?" M'gann asked when she saw everyone staring at her. Wally took a step forward and looked at her with pleading eyes.

"Do you think you could go his mind to try and get him to wake himself up?" Wally asked her, she looked at him, not surprised at all. She expected him to make this kind of request considering all the looks everyone else in the room was giving her. M'gann sighed, she wasn't sure she could do this.

"I'm not sure. I've never divulged that far into someone else's mind, and especially not to try and make contact with someone in a coma," she said, disappointed in herself for not being able to help. Wally nodded, and looked off into nothing to think. He had a look on his face that said he was trying to think of some other solution that could accommodate for M'gann's lack of experience. Then it looked like he got practically hit in the face with an idea.

"What about your uncle, Martian Manhunter?" he said, and they were all surprised they didn't think about that earlier considering how obvious it was. "Couldn't he go into Robin's mind? I mean, he does have a lot more experience with this type of thing, right?" M'gann nodded a bit to herself.

"Yeah, I could talk to him," she said excitedly. They all nodded and were happier now that they were all getting somewhere. Because for the first time in a long time, they had hope.

"Great, where is he right now?" Wally asked her, and she looked as if she was going through her head for the answer.

"Last time I saw him he was heading to the Watchtower, then later while he was up there he told me he was doing something with Batman," she said. Wally's face scrunched up, and he looked to Black Canary who shrugged.

"What could Batman want with J'onn if he thinks that there's a medical cure for Robin?"

* * *

"Scarecrow told me something I can't shake," Batman said to J'onn once they were both alone in one of the deeper parts of the Watchtower. J'onn looked to the bat for further explanation. For Batman had had J'onn follow him away from the other heros, and now they were here.

"What did he tell you?" J'onn asked, prompting Batman to go on.

"He told me that there is no physical cure to wake Robin up," Batman said slowly, as if trying to convince himself that this couldn't be true. J'onn could feel the fear for Robin radiate off of Batman.

"I suppose that you do not believe him?" J'onn said, doubtful as well with anything that Scarecrow may have said to the bat when he interrogated him. Batman nodded, and began walking in the direction towards the main area of the Watchtower, where the zeta-tubes lie.

"So why have you told me this if you obviously take no seriousness in his words?" J'onn asked, even though he could feel that Batman wasn't sure as whether or not to believe Scarecrow even now. Batman continued walking, he didn't face J'onn.

"I can't help but think that the only way to wake Robin up is not something we can cure in a bottle," Batman said after some hesitation, not liking the doubt in his efforts so far that he's feeling. J'onn nodded slowly, keeping his pace slow.

"You have come to ask me for assistance, then?" J'onn said after deciding that that could be the only reason for Batman to come to him alone. He was right, for Batman nodded.

"Do you think there's anything you can try?" Batman asked, not completely sure he wanted to know the answer. J'onn hesitated.

"Perhaps," he said slowly, causing Batman's demeanor to slip a bit, relief flooding through him. "if this is a matter of the mind, then Robin may just be trapped in a dream." Batman nodded, absorbing the information.

"Do you think that Scarecrow's toxin could have caused Robin to trap himself in his mind?" Batman inquired. J'onn thought on it for a moment.

"It is possible." They continued the rest of their walk in silence. Upon reaching the zeta-tubes, they both stopped to discuss this further.

"Maybe the fear toxin is still active..." Batman commented, hoping that he was wrong. While J'onn nodded slowly.

"If that is true then that does not only mean that Robin is trapped in a dream, but a nightmare." Batman was hoping he wouldn't say that.

"If he is trapped in a nightmare, wouldn't he realize that what he was seeing wasn't real? That it was really a nightmare, therefore waking himself up?" Batman said thoughtfully, hoping that perhaps Robin would just wake himself up, and they could all stop worrying. J'onn just shook his head.

"His mind most likely created a scenario that Robin could see happening, and so he would not question it." Batman nodded, that little spark of hope that Robin would wake himself up getting snuffed out.

"If you were to go into his mind," Batman hesitated, "what would you do while you were in there?" he asked.

"I would search for his consciousness, and then tell him that the world around him wasn't real and that he was in a coma. Convince him of this and help him wake himself up," J'onn said after taking a moment to consider. Batman nodded.

"Alright," Batman said after a moment, "let's go."

The zeta-beams powered up, engulfing them in a white light, and they were gone.

* * *

The team were all still gathered around Robin, along with Black Canary. It was still hard to look at him, lying there; still.

"We should find Martian Manhunter, he's the only one who can help us now," Wally said after M'gann told them she couldn't help without great risk. But the question still stood as to what Batman would want with J'onn if he believes that Scarecrow's lying to him.

"Alright, I'll go-" Artemis began before her thought was cut off by the sounds of the zeta-tubes.

_"Recognized, Batman, 02, Martian Manhunter, 07."_

Black Canary stood up from her seat by Robin, and walked towards the zeta-tubes, the team stayed behind. She came back with the both of them, and it looked as if they had all come to the same conclusion.

"Alright, I might be mistaken, but as far as I can tell we've all come to the same conclusion because of what Scarecrow said, right?" Wally said after a moment of staring. Batman seemed a bit surprised to hear that the team had went to see Scarecrow, but he pushed it off for the more important matter at hand.

"Yes, as far as I can tell, even with the ongoing tests, it seems as if this may be our best option," Batman said after a moment. They all looked slightly surprised, but glad that they finally might be getting somewhere.

"I should begin," J'onn said, cutting through the obvious tension. Batman nodded, and the team all moved out of the way of Robin.

Upon seeing Robin lying there, Batman looked away. He hated seeing him like this. He'd seen it enough times before, but now... it was different. Because all those other times, he knew that Robin was going to wake up, or that there was something he could do. Now though? He was completely useless. There was absolutely nothing he could do but trust J'onn in that he would wake Robin up.

But none could deny that the worst thing that can ever happen to a parent is losing their child, and not being able to do anything about it. But none in the team or league, except Wally, knew that Batman really was the only parent for Robin. The league knew that Batman felt like a father figure to Robin, but neither them nor the team knew that he was the only father figure left for Robin. That Dick Grayson's parents were dead, and that Bruce Wayne was the only one left for him in the end along with Alfred.

"Bring him back," Batman - no, Bruce - mumbled to J'onn. He nodded solemnly, and closed his eyes as he rested his hands on Robin's forehead. They all looked nervously at J'onn as his eyes opened and glowed white. After a minute, the tension died a bit as they watched J'onn and got comfortable with what was happening. Then Wally spoke, cutting the thick silence.

"Let's just hope this works."


	16. Chapter 16

He could feel something invading his current world as he walked down the streets of Gotham. But he ignored it.

Robin was heading towards Red Hood's base of operations, so they could discuss what to do about the man Robin killed. He knew that the league would figure it out soon enough, and that they would go after him. So Red Hood was going to be "housing" him for a while, just to keep him off the radar of everyone.

Robin knew that he couldn't be Robin anymore because of what he did, but he couldn't help but feel slightly glad that he wouldn't have to be Robin anymore. He wasn't happy about the circumstances of him being able to drop the Robin persona, but he was happy about the outcome.

He always loved being Robin. It was the only way he could escape being the sad orphan for a little while. And if Robin had still been working for Batman, or at least still on the team, then he wouldn't want to give Robin up. But now that everyone who recognized him as Robin hated him, or thought him weak, not being Robin didn't seem so bad. But that doesn't mean that he'll go back to being Dick Grayson. No, he'll just take up a new persona.

Red Hood kept suggesting taking the name "Nightwing" in memorial of his friend, practically brother. The name did have a good ring to it, but he didn't want to take up the persona of someone seemingly long gone, or perhaps non-existent.

Sometimes Robin wondered how he had even came upon Red Hood. Because the last time he checked there wasn't such a person; that is, until after Robin woke up after the Scarecrow incident. Perhaps he was imagining it, but sometimes it felt as if Red Hood shouldn't even exist. Like Red Hood _will_  exist at some point in the future, but not at this very moment.

The same went for Nightwing. In fact, wasn't there a story on Krypton about something called "nightwing" that Superman had once told him? Perhaps whoever Nightwing was, he was told the same story by the blue boy scout. Not likely however.

Looking back on everything now, nothing seemed real anymore. Like everything that has happened since he woke up was something that his mind had made up. Like this was all just one huge nightmare. Because no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't except that the real Robin would kill someone. It just doesn't make any sense.

But why is he thinking about it now? What is making this feeling overcome him right now? He never questioned the reality around him before... but now it was like something, or someone, was trying to wake him from a dream. A really bad dream that his entire being couldn't except that it wasn't real.

But upon seeing Red Hood's base of operations, all thoughts drifted away. But the feeling wouldn't leave. This might not be real.

* * *

J'onn was standing from a distance inside Robin's dream world.

From what he gathered, it seemed that in this world Batman had kicked Robin out for being weak and a waste of time. He was kicked off the team for being incapable as well. He met up with some unknown person named Red Hood. They had been training together, Robin in hopes of proving himself. Then, the scariest thing of all, in this world Robin had accidentally killed someone.

J'onn couldn't believe how little Robin thought of himself. He had to think little of himself to create so much rejection in a nightmare, and yet not question it one bit, as if he expected to be belittled by everyone around him.

It hurt to know this.

But what hurt more was that he now knows that the dynamic duo of Batman and Robin wasn't just a random partnership. It was a father and son duo, biological or not. He also knows what became of Robin's biological parents as well, and it saddened him to think about how everyone else thinks he goes home to his parents a night. But no, he goes home with the bat at night, his surrogate father, knowing that he will never see his real one again.

But even worse... he knows that the man who thinks of Robin as his son is watching his comatosed body right now, in anticipation of him waking, knowing there's nothing he can do. Helplessly waiting.

J'onn can still feel the sadness that Batman had felt, but that sadness had a whole new meaning now. A deeper meaning. A tragic meaning.

J'onn was given a new determination upon knowing Batman and Robin's true relationship.

He would not fail.

So watching Robin walk through his dreamland, J'onn probed at his mind, sending messages into his brain, trying to get him to realize that this was a dream so he would wake himself up. Planting the seed of doubt into his mind was the first step.

Once this was completed, J'onn would go and talk to Robin directly if Robin didn't wake himself up already. He hoped he would wake himself up without him having to interfere.

But then Robin stopped walking, peering at a small apartment building. It appeared abandoned. But, of course, this was not the case.

J'onn continued to invisibly follow Robin as he made his way into the run down building. Robin seemed hesitant, yet in a way; happy, as he made his way up the water stained steps. J'onn floating closely behind.

Robin walked slowly down the grimy hallway, and reached the door at the end marked "428". Robin reached out his hand and knocked on the moldy wood, sending an echo throughout the hollow building.

The door creaked open a crack, and Robin opened it up the rest of the way, stepping inside. J'onn had to faze through the door, because Robin had shut it closed behind himself.

Red Hood was sitting on his couch, red metal mask covering his face. Robin looked at his hands for a moment, then spoke.

"Are we training today?" Robin asked quietly, looking to the older male for guidance, almost.

Red Hood continued his long stare then said, "You didn't tell me you were bringing a friend." J'onn felt his eyes widen, and Robin's did as well behind his sunglasses; but his eyes were wide only in confusion.

"What are you talking about?" he asked. Red Hood chuckled at Robin's obvious confusion, and J'onn felt unnerved to the core.

"So you don't know about your invisible friend?" Red Hood said with an amused tone. Robin searched Red Hood's face for something, he didn't know what, then he slowly turned around, facing J'onn.

J'onn decided that this was pointless and it would have come to this sooner or later, and revealed himself. Robin let out a small gasp despite himself, and his eyebrows furrowed in angry confusion.

"What're you doing here? Why are you following me?" Robin harshly asked, and Red Hood seemed quite amused by the situation. J'onn decided that the only thing he could do now is tell the truth.

"I'm here to wake you up," he stated plainly. Robin just found himself more confused now.

"What?" Robin huffed out, looking ready to hit the martian. Red Hood continued to watch in silence, and J'onn sighed.

"This isn't real. None of what you're seeing is real, besides myself." Robin's eyes widened even more if possible. "You're in a coma. The last fear toxin Scarecrow tested on you did not go to plan, and it sent you into a coma. Your mind concocted a nightmarish reality as aftereffect of the toxin in your system, but made it real enough to convince you of sincerity. Nothing that has happened since you woke up after Batman and the team rescued you is real." Robin couldn't believe it. He opened his mouth and spoke.

"But I-... but Batman-"

"Nothing that Batman or anyone else here has said or done really happened. Batman is fake, the team is fake, this Red Hood is fake, whatever you did here didn't really happen. It's all just events your mind has tailored to fit your worst nightmares."

"So, what you're saying is, is, that Batman... he didn't actually say all that stuff? And he, and the team, didn't kick me out?" Robin asked in disbelief.

J'onn nodded, "Yes. The real Batman and team are all sitting by your bedside, waiting for me to wake you up," J'onn said, hoping that he managed to convince Robin of his sincerity. But instead of Robin saying anything, he turned to Red Hood.

"Is he telling the truth? You're not real...?" Robin asked the masked man. He just chuckled.

"Oh, I'm real alright. But right now? Here? No, not at all. In fact, I'm not even sure Red Hood exists yet..." Red Hood said as if it were no big deal. Robin just stood there, shocked.

"But-" Robin tried to stutter out how this all meant that Bruce still cared, and so did the team, and that he didn't really kill anyone. But Red Hood stood up abruptly, interrupting his thoughts.

"That's right kid," Red Hood said, then reached his hand up to take of his mask.


	17. Chapter 17

Red Hood's hand grazed the red metal mask that concealed his face. Robin's breath caught in his throat, and the mask clattered to the floor.

The face that was revealed, however, was not one to be expected.

"Jason?" Robin said as the person who stood before him was revealed to be the small street boy that lives near the orphanage in Gotham. Robin had interacted with him on occasion, and he knew that he was supposed to be living in the Gotham orphanage, but he prefered to be out on the streets. Robin had tried to get him to go back once, but found that it was useless.

"Hi Dick," the now smaller Jason Todd said. He was still in Red Hood's outfit, he was just now in his usual state as a smaller child. J'onn was having trouble keeping his shock hidden as he watched the interaction.

"You're Red Hood?" Dick asked, still in shock about not only this being a dream, but his mind making little Jason someone like Red Hood.

"Not yet. But, that's something we'll have to discuss when we're both older." Jason smirked, and began to fade along with everything else around him.

"What? What's that supposed to mean?" Robin asked as he watched the world around him crumble.

"Just that some of what you've seen here is the future," Jason said cryptically. The walls were disappearing, and the floor was cracking beneath their feet.

"What parts?" Dick asked, fear creeping into his voice. J'onn was trying to hold some of the ceiling together so they weren't crushed.

"Everything I've ever talked to you about, or everything I've ever been in this dream," Jason chuckled out. Dick nodded, then looked to J'onn whose eyes were filled with fear of the crumbling nightmare. But once Dick looked back to Jason, he was already gone.

"Robin! You need to wake up, now!" J'onn shouted at him. Dick looked back around.

"How?" he yelled back.

"Think about the real world that lies beyond! Beyond your mind!" Dick nodded frantically, and began picturing waking up in a hospital bed, with Bruce by his side.

The dream continued to crumble, and J'onn grabbed Dick's arm in attempt to help him wake himself. J'onn's eyes glowed a bright white, and Dick concentrated on waking up with J'onn amplifying his thoughts.

"Concentrate!" J'onn shouted in desperation. They needed to get out of there as fast as possible now that not only the ceiling and walls were gone, but the floor was almost completely destroyed too.

"I am!" Dick shouted back. He was picturing waking up, picturing Bruce sitting next to him, picturing the team all around him, anything to wake up.

Then, he thought about what Bruce would say. How he would respond to not only Dick waking up, but to the fact that Robin couldn't save himself from Scarecrow. Would he respond like how he did in here? But, he couldn't. Robin knew that, Dick knew that too. Bruce and Batman alike love him. Bruce is Dick's dad. Batman is Robin's mentor and partner.

And nothing can  _ever_ change that.

* * *

He felt like he had just been struck by lightning.

Robin awoke with a jolt. His masked eyes flashed open, and his lungs took in a gasp of air. It was almost like something out of a dramatic movie scene.

He tilted his head a bit to the right and was face with J'onn who was getting up from his bedside, rubbing his temples. Robin took a few deep breaths and looked over in the other direction, finding himself face to face with Batman. Before Robin could even think about what he was doing, he spoke.

"D-dad?" Robin stuttered out. He heard the faint gasps of his team mates, and Batman sighed. But it wasn't a disappointed sigh as expected, it was an overjoyed sigh mixed with a laugh of relief.

"Yeah, it's me," Batman said softly, he then removed his cowl turning into Bruce. Gaining another, slightly louder, gasp from Artemis.

Robin found a smile creeping onto his lips as he saw his mentor and father's eyes lighten up. Then, without warning, Bruce lifted Robin into a hug, and Robin hugged him right back.

"Dad?" M'gann said, shocked. Robin and Bruce broke their hug, and Robin peeled off his mask after getting a confirming look from Bruce. His blue eyes shined bright with relief, like many heavy burdens had been lifted from his shoulders.

"Yeah, dad," Dick said smiling like everything would be fine, he looked over at Bruce. He was smiling too.

"But I- but we thought-..." M'gann stuttered, trying to piece together these events. Dick sighed, and so did Bruce. Dick looked to Bruce, and he flashed a look that told him he would explain everything.

"I'll explain," Bruce said, "so I'll be telling everyone what we've been hiding for irrational reasons for so long." Dick shot Bruce a look. "Okay, what _I've_  been hiding for irrational reasons." Dick chuckled.

"So..." Artemis spoke up, "we'll laugh about this someday?" she said with a cocked eyebrow and a smirk gracing her lips. Dick just cackled lightly, then the moment faded and he found himself remembering. He looked down at his hands in his lap, and his smile faltered into a frown.

"Dick?" Bruce said as he tried to get a clearer view of the boy's face. Dick sighed.

"What happened with Scarecrow... and the toxin dream," Dick began, and none of them liked where this was going. They dreaded hearing about this from him, they thought they knew enough from what they've found.

"I know they weren't, aren't, real," he stated simply. They all found themselves hoping it was as simple as that. It wasn't. "But, they  _felt_  real. They still feel real..." Dick murmured. They looked at him with sad eyes, and Bruce felt a stab of parental instinct hit him. He couldn't deny the instinct, so Bruce pulled Dick into another hug.

"No matter how real they felt or feel, what's happening right now; that's real," Bruce said sternly as he held his son to his chest.

Wally felt an even bigger smile splay upon his face. Artemis couldn't help but sigh in relief that this may just be over for the most part. M'gann felt her eyes prickle with tears from the overwhelming emotion in the room. Kaldur felt like this was the perfect way they ever could prove to Robin that they really do love him, whether as a brother or a teammate. Superboy wished that he could have a father like Robin. Yet he did not wish this out of jealousy, but out of contentment.

Bruce let Dick slip from his grasp, and Dick smiled up at Bruce.

Bruce Wayne; the person that had grown to be a father to Richard Grayson despite what others may think. Even the league knows that Robin is the reason the Batman didn't take the darker path, leading to self destruction, even though they don't know at the moment of the nature of their relationship. But they will soon enough.

"Oh, wait," Dick looked over at J'onn, "about what happened in the dream, about what Jason said, was any of that true?" Dick asked the martian. J'onn looked thoughtfully at Dick, and everyone else seemed confused. So, Dick clarified.

"In the dream world, I met someone named Red Hood. He always wore a red metal mask, and I never saw his face. He helped me out with.. stuff... and I helped him. I guess we were kind of friends you could say." They nodded and Dick continued. "When J'onn came in a told me the truth, Red Hood said he was right and he took off his mask." Dick searched his mind for the words to explain this.

"He turned into a person I know," Dick continued, "a little kid that lives on the streets in Gotham. He's an orphan, and he's supposed to be in the orphanage but he hates it there so he left." Bruce nodded, he could understand why this kid would want to leave that horrid orphanage.

"His name's Jason, and he's about 10 or 11 from what I gather. I can't really tell though 'cause he won't tell me no matter how much I ask. I guess he just doesn't want to be defined by his age. I know how that feels." The team felt a stab of guilt at this because of one of the reasons Robin left the mountain that day. Never define someone by their age, that's the greatest lesson they can gather from this.

"So, I was surprised to see that Red Hood was him in my mind. Because we don't get to talk on the most frequent basis, so I don't understand why Red Hood was him." Bruce felt the strangeness of the situation creeping in. "Then he said that what he told me in the dream world was true, and that he was the future..." Confusion filled the air.

"You heard him J'onn," Dick looked over at J'onn, "what did he mean? Really." J'onn's eyes shifted, and he looked Dick deep in the eyes.

"Sometimes," J'onn started, "people can pick up on psychic waves, even if they never pick up on these things usually or ever again after one incident." Dick nodded. "The most common thing to occur when picking up on these waves is the person having future dreams. Many people have had these dreams before even without realizing it. Because sometimes you can't remember a dream, and so when the future event you dreamed about occurs; you feel a sense of deja vu."

"I've had that before, a lot actually. So does that mean I've had future dreams without even knowing it?" Artemis asked. J'onn nodded.

"Yes, and sometimes people have even more vivid memorable dreams of the future as well. Those people tend to have a stronger psychic abilities. Such as the story of the girl who has a dream about the Titanic sinking the day before her family went to go aboard, and she convinced her family not to go on the trip." Artemis' eyebrows furrowed in interest and understanding.

"So, I believe that Scarecrow's toxin must have amplified your psychic abilities," J'onn said to Dick, and he nodded. "This leading to your brain integrating people who are not yet to be into your dream world." Dick nodded again.

"So, you think that Jason will turn into Red Hood in the future?" Dick asked.

J'onn took a moment to consider and said, "It is possible. I would not be surprised if it happened, but I also would not be surprised if it didn't." Dick nodded again, excepting the cryptic information.

"We shouldn't worry about that right now," Bruce said, filing away this information for later inspection. He would have to ask for this Jason's full name as well. Changing the subject as Bruce did, Dick went along with it seeing the gears in Bruce's head turning trying to process this whole "future dream" thing.

"You're right. We still have to think about explaining the Dick Grayson and Bruce Wayne dynamic to everyone too. So, how are we going to explain everything to everyone?" Dick asked Bruce as he ran through scenarios of how they would all react to the Boy Wonder's depressing past.

"Like I said earlier, I'll handle it," Bruce said, letting a small smile slip. Dick nodded.

"Okay. Oh, and can I have something to eat? I'm starving." This caused laughter to ring through the medical bay.

"Of course!" Wally shouted, and he sped off to who knows where to get who knows what for Dick to eat. More laughter erupted in the room.

Dick realized then and there that no matter what everyone thought about his past, or his situation, they would not treat him differently. He had nothing to worry about, even in this crazy business.


	18. Chapter 18

Robin was starting to doubt his ability to stand and watch as Bruce told the entire league and team his life story. He was feeling the pressure to say the least.

"We're so happy you're awake, Robin," Superman said kindly, joy in his eyes. Robin smiled back at him and offered a small "thanks".

He said "Robin" though because Dick had put the mask back on and Bruce had replaced his cowl to it's original position. They were the dynamic duo at the moment, but they were about to be revealed to the league, and re-revealed to the team.

Even though the league know that Batman's Bruce Wayne, they were never informed of the fact that Robin was his adopted son; and and orphan. It's actually very surprising still that they couldn't piece anything together knowing Batman's identity. I guess because none of them live in Gotham, and because none of them wanted to risk trying to piece things together when it comes to the bat they never thought about trying in the first place.

None of them knew why they were here; only Batman, Robin, Black Canary, J'onn, and the team knew. But they were all about to find out.

"I brought you all here," Batman started rather dramatically, "for more reasons than just showing you that Robin is awake and well." Robin could tell that Batman was slipping into the role of Bruce Wayne judging by his tone of voice. He sounded like he usually sounds when he's making an announcement at once of his parties, just a lot more genuine and happy. But his tone of Bruce did the job, making all the leaguers and the team look over to the uncharacteristically happy bat. Though, understandably so.

"What then?" Green Arrow asked before Batman had a chance to say anything more, "Because I think that knowing Robin's okay is good enough for me right now, I don't want to hear any bad news or nothing." The other leaguers hummed in agreement. Batman sighed.

"This isn't bad news," Batman said, gaining full attention back.

"Well, what?" Green Arrow asked, looking bored with Batman's words. He just wanted to go out with someone for a drink to rejoice not only for Robin, but for the weight lifted from his shoulders.

"If you would shut up Oliver, I could tell you." And, Batman's back. Barry snickered at Green Arrow who looked ready to bolt. Batman sighed, suddenly regretting his decision to tell them about Robin. Robin could tell what he was feeling, and stepped forward.

"No, I'll tell them," Robin said sternly, hoping he wouldn't regret this decision. Batman was about to say something, like how he could tell them, but Robin gave him a firm look and face the Justice League and his team. In other words, his family.

"I guess that this has been building for a while, and Batman here finally agreed to give up the protective mode for a moment and let me tell you who I am, and who I was," Robin started. Batman took that as his cue, and both him and Robin took off the things concealing their identities.

The League seemed genuinely surprised by this, for they had not expected the bat to consent to something like this. But as they looked at the bright blue eyes before them, they forgot all about that.

"Hi, my name's Richard John Grayson, but my friends call me Dick." Green Arrow was about to say something when, "And before you say anything, I've already heard all the jokes about my name,  _every single one._  So lets not got there, thanks." Green Arrow shut his mouth, and the rest of the league and team snickered.

"I'm a freshman at Gotham Academy, because I skipped a year in elementary school then another one in middle school." They all nodded rather impressed, and Dick continued. "I'm also the adopted son of Bruce Wayne." Dick gestured to Bruce, who let a small smile slip past his lips.

The league seemed genuinely shocked by this. They knew Batman and Robin were close, but they had never realized that Robin could be Batman's son; blood or otherwise.

"Wait," Superman spoke up, directing his words to Batman, "but you said that you had told Robin's parents that he was taken by Scarecrow."

"I lied," Bruce said simply. "But being his parent what I said to you wasn't entirely untrue." They nodded, but then Green Arrow spoke up.

"Wait, if you were adopted by Bruce here; what happened to your real parents?" After he said this he could tell he struck a cord, and Dick's face cringed slightly. They all saw the flash of sadness in his already sad eyes, and Green Arrow wasn't sure he wanted to know anymore.

"My parents..." Dick wavered as to how he would word his explanation, and Bruce seemed ready to jump in at any moment.

"They're names were Mary and John Grayson," they all took note of the 'were', "we together as a family were the famous Flying Graysons along with my aunt, uncle, and cousin." Some of the leaguers recognized the name and tensed up. "We were the best acrobatic act in the entire world, only ones who could all do a quadruple flip in mid-air. Plus, we always performed without a net." The implications of this made them all dread the continuation of this story. "We were an act in the Haly's Circus, and we all traveled around a lot in our trailer with the circus." Artemis felt a stab of guilt for all her thoughts that Dick Grayson was a pompous rich kid when he used to be poorer than her.

"But we were happy, and life was great." Dick smiled at the memories, but his face darkened. "But I guess that wasn't to be..."

"When I was eight, on the night of my first finale performance with my entire family, I was wondering around the tent before the show. As I was walking I heard Jack Haley, the owner and ringmaster of the circus, arguing with someone. He was talking to a man who wanted money in exchange for 'protection' from Haley, but Haley told him to leave. The man said that he would regret this and that his best act would pay for it." The tension in the air began to rise because of these foreshadowing words.

"I didn't think too much about it, and went back to my parents. We went to perform, and we did wonderfully as usual. Then came the grand finale, and I was finally going to be in it, I was so excited." Dick's eyes flashed with memories again, and a few tears he refused to let slide. "We started out the routine as usual, and I was waiting for my mother to swing over and grab my hands. Her and my dad were linked together and they came towards me."

"I reached out my hands and..." Dick couldn't help the tears that were filling his eyes, and neither could anyone else. "And the wires broke."

A wave of sadness and pain filled the room, and Dick frantically swiped away the tears streaming down his red cheeks.

"They all fell, and I saw it happen." They all cringed with pain at this, suddenly realizing why Bruce took him in. They have more in common than anyone had originally thought. "Both my parents died, along with my aunt and cousin. But my uncle was paralyzed and put in a coma." Another rush of pain flowed freely. "I was taken away from the circus, and put in Gotham Juvenile Detention Center because all of the orphanages were full." Wide eyes and gasps filled the room. How could anyone send an eight year old boy who had just watched his family die to a detention center to fend for himself?

"I spent about a month there," More cringing, "until a very kind billionaire came and brought me to his mansion, away from that place forever." Dick smiled, and so did Bruce. This caused the rest to smile too, happy that this story could have a relatively good enough ending. "I later found a secret cave below the manor, and asked if I could be Batman's partner; and I did."

"After that I found out that the name of the man who murdered my family was named Tony Zucco, and I got my justice." Batman found himself frowning, but then again glad that Dick was able to get the man who killed his family without him dying. Just plain justice. "And don't worry, he's currently residing in Arkham Prison where he will stay." Sighs of relief came from both the team and the league.

"You pretty much know the rest I guess."

Wally was the first to run up and hug Dick, and Dick hugged him back not caring about anything anymore.

"I'm glad you trust us," Superman said on behalf of everyone. They all nodded in agreement and went to get their hugs from Dick too. They all got one.

But then M'gann could sense something more.

"Dick?" Dick looked up at M'gann and gave her a questioning look, along with everyone else. "Is there anything else?" She got confused looks from everyone but Dick and J'onn. Dick just looked at his feet when everyones' attention turned to him.

"I guess... but it's not important," Dick mumbled, and Wally placed a hand on Dick's shoulder and gave him a look that said I-know-there's-something-else-and-not-just-because-Megan-said-it-but-also-because-I'm-your-best-bud-and-I-know-these-things.

Dick sighed, "It's just that.. I guess sometimes when I think about my parents, I blame myself for what happened." They all looked even more shocked, and Dick continued to look at his feet. But before anyone could say anything he continued.

"I could have told my parents about what I heard, and then maybe none of this would have happened. Maybe I wouldn't have had to see them... die... and I wouldn't have gone down to the floor- and hugged their br-broken b-bodies- screaming for th-them to not l-leave me..." Dick's words were starting to come out in gasps now as tears cascaded down his face like a torrent. Wally was about to pull him into another hug when Bruce beat him to it.

He pulled Dick in tight and let Dick bury his face in his shoulder to cry.

"There was nothing you could have done," Bruce said to him. "You were eight and didn't know any better. Besides, who's to say that telling them would have made any difference regardless." Dick sniffed loudly into Bruce's shoulder, and looked up at him with red puffy eyes.

"I kn-know. I just..." Dick didn't know what to say, he never knew what to say when it came to this very topic. But Bruce just hugged him tighter, and refused to let go.

"You're here now. That's all that matters," Bruce said to him, and Dick nodded. He then pulled himself together and let go of his adopted father.

"S-sorry guys," Dick murmured. Wally just gave a dramatic gasp and pulled Dick into another hug.

"There is nothing to apologize for. You can cry all you want any time," Wally said, causing Dick to laugh. He let go of Wally and Wally did the same in return. Dick smiled up at all of them, and he felt like all the weight he ever bared was now off his shoulders. It was a great feeling to say the least.

"Thank you, by the way," Dick said. They looked at him for reasoning. "I'm just glad that I now have so many people I can trust." They smiled, and Green Arrow spoke.

"Don't you have any friends at school or something?" he asked. Dick let out a short breathy laugh.

"I have approximately one friend outside of the hero business." Green Arrow frowned, and wouldn't accept the answer.

"Oh come on, you have to have more than one friend!" He exclaimed and Dick laughed his cackle.

"Nope, basically just the one. I mean, there is Betty too I guess. But Barbara is really my only friend at Gotham Academy besides Artemis now."

"Wait, are you saying that the only friends you have at Gotham are all girls?" Green Arrow asked cocking an eyebrow, and the rest of the league were about to hit him if he didn't stop talking.

"Yep!" Dick just said completely okay with this not seeing anything weird about it, and they all laughed.

Joking and prodding was all that was left in the mountain as they all entertained themselves finding things out about each other, even Bruce. A family was really what they were, joined together by their desire to protect the innocent; none of them could ask for anything more.

And Dick Grayson couldn't be happier.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading! I hope you liked it. ;)


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